- A
Disable the affected user accounts.
Why wrong: Account disabling is containment, not eradication.
- B
Reimage all affected systems.
Why wrong: Reimaging is effective but may be too drastic if cleaning is possible.
- C
Remove the malicious registry entries and restart the systems.
Correct. Removing persistence mechanisms is key to eradication.
- D
Run an antivirus scan on the systems.
Why wrong: Antivirus may not detect fileless malware.
Question 893 of 1,000
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An incident responder is handling a malware outbreak. The malware has been identified as a fileless threat that persists via registry run keys. Which eradication step is most appropriate?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Remove the malicious registry entries and restart the systems.
Option C is correct because fileless malware that persists via registry run keys can be eradicated by removing the malicious registry entries and restarting the systems. This breaks the persistence mechanism without requiring full reimaging, as the malware does not write files to disk and relies on registry-based auto-start locations (e.g., HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run) to execute after reboot.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable the affected user accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Account disabling is containment, not eradication.
- ✗
Reimage all affected systems.
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is effective but may be too drastic if cleaning is possible.
- ✓
Remove the malicious registry entries and restart the systems.
Why this is correct
Correct. Removing persistence mechanisms is key to eradication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run an antivirus scan on the systems.
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus may not detect fileless malware.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose reimaging (Option B) as a 'safe' default, failing to recognize that fileless malware with only registry persistence can be fully remediated by removing the registry entry and rebooting, without the operational cost of reimaging.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Fileless malware often uses PowerShell or WMI to inject code directly into memory and establishes persistence via registry run keys (e.g., Run, RunOnce, or RunServices). After removing the registry entry, a system restart is critical to terminate the in-memory payload, as the malware may have spawned child processes or injected into trusted system processes (e.g., svchost.exe) that persist until reboot. In real-world incidents like the Kovter or Poweliks trojans, simply deleting the registry key without restarting leaves the malicious code active in memory, allowing it to re-add the key.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Incident Response and Recovery — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Incident Response and Recovery — This question tests Incident Response and Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Remove the malicious registry entries and restart the systems. — Option C is correct because fileless malware that persists via registry run keys can be eradicated by removing the malicious registry entries and restarting the systems. This breaks the persistence mechanism without requiring full reimaging, as the malware does not write files to disk and relies on registry-based auto-start locations (e.g., HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run) to execute after reboot.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SSCP exam.
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