- A
Verify the integrity of the backup before restoration using hash checks.
Ensuring backup integrity prevents restoring corrupted or infected data.
- B
Extend the RTO to allow time for manual data re-entry.
Why wrong: RTOs are defined requirements; extending them indicates a failure of the DR plan.
- C
Failover to the hot DR site immediately without data restoration.
Why wrong: Without replicated data, the hot site may have stale or no data, causing data loss and operational failure.
- D
Restore the latest valid backup from the primary site to the DR site.
Restoring from a known-good backup brings data current and supports the RTO if the backup is recent enough.
- E
Switch to a cold DR site that requires hardware setup.
Why wrong: A cold site takes days to activate, exceeding the 4-hour RTO.
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 organization uses a hot disaster recovery (DR) site and has a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 4 hours. During a DR test, the team discovers that data replication from the primary site fails. Which TWO actions should the team take to meet the RTO while ensuring data integrity? (Choose two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
Verify the integrity of the backup before restoration using hash checks.
Option A is correct because verifying the integrity of the backup using hash checks (e.g., SHA-256 or MD5) ensures that the data has not been corrupted during storage or transfer, which is critical before restoration to maintain data integrity. Option D is correct because restoring the latest valid backup from the primary site to the DR site provides a known-good data set, allowing the organization to meet the 4-hour RTO by having a consistent state to failover to, even if replication has failed.
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.
- ✓
Verify the integrity of the backup before restoration using hash checks.
Why this is correct
Ensuring backup integrity prevents restoring corrupted or infected data.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Extend the RTO to allow time for manual data re-entry.
Why it's wrong here
RTOs are defined requirements; extending them indicates a failure of the DR plan.
- ✗
Failover to the hot DR site immediately without data restoration.
Why it's wrong here
Without replicated data, the hot site may have stale or no data, causing data loss and operational failure.
- ✓
Restore the latest valid backup from the primary site to the DR site.
Why this is correct
Restoring from a known-good backup brings data current and supports the RTO if the backup is recent enough.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Switch to a cold DR site that requires hardware setup.
Why it's wrong here
A cold site takes days to activate, exceeding the 4-hour RTO.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that failing over to a hot site immediately is sufficient, but the trap here is that without verifying and restoring a valid backup, the DR site may contain corrupted or incomplete data, breaking data integrity requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a hot DR site, synchronous or asynchronous replication (e.g., using SQL Server Always On Availability Groups or Oracle Data Guard) continuously copies data, but if replication fails, the DR site may have an inconsistent or outdated copy. Hash verification (e.g., using `certutil -hashfile` on Windows or `sha256sum` on Linux) compares checksums against a known good baseline to detect bit rot or transmission errors. In real-world scenarios, a replication failure could be due to network latency, storage exhaustion, or a corrupted log file, making integrity checks essential before restoration to avoid restoring a compromised dataset.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
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: Verify the integrity of the backup before restoration using hash checks. — Option A is correct because verifying the integrity of the backup using hash checks (e.g., SHA-256 or MD5) ensures that the data has not been corrupted during storage or transfer, which is critical before restoration to maintain data integrity. Option D is correct because restoring the latest valid backup from the primary site to the DR site provides a known-good data set, allowing the organization to meet the 4-hour RTO by having a consistent state to failover to, even if replication has failed.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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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