easyMultiple Choice
SSCP Practice Question: Experiences a ransomware attack that encrypts…
An organization experiences a ransomware attack that encrypts critical data. The incident response team isolates affected systems. What is the NEXT step?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to 'Restore from backup' (Option D) as the immediate next step, but the SSCP exam emphasizes that containment and root cause analysis must precede recovery to prevent reinfection and ensure the backup is clean.
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
✓
Identify the root cause
After isolating affected systems to contain the ransomware, the next step is to identify the root cause (e.g., how the ransomware entered, which vulnerability was exploited, or which user account was compromised). This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle, where identification and analysis precede eradication and recovery. Without determining the root cause, reimaging or restoring from backup risks reinfection or missing a persistent backdoor.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reimage systems
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging systems before identifying the ransomware strain and entry vector destroys forensic evidence and may leave the initial access path open, allowing prompt reinfection. Reimaging is tempting as a clean-slate recovery, and it is correct after the root cause is identified and eradicated.
- ✗
Notify law enforcement
Why it's wrong here
Law enforcement notification is a communication and legal step, not the immediate containment or eradication action that stops the active ransomware from spreading or re-encrypting. It is tempting because regulatory and insurance obligations require reporting, but that occurs alongside, not before, technical containment.
- ✓
Identify the root cause
Why this is correct
Identifying the root cause follows containment, satisfying the need to determine the initial infection vector before recovery. Analysis of logs and forensic artefacts reveals how the ransomware entered, preventing re-infection during restoration. This aligns with the SSCP incident response sequence: containment precedes eradication, which requires understanding the underlying cause.
- ✗
Restore from backup
Why it's wrong here
Restoring from backup before eradicating the malware risks reinfection, since the attacker's persistence mechanisms may survive and re-encrypt recovered data. Restoration is tempting as the fastest route to availability, and it is correct once containment and eradication are confirmed complete.
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About these practice questions
One of 971 original SSCP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.