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.
During incident response, a team member uses a tool to capture memory from a compromised Windows system. Which of the following best describes the order of volatility?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Network connections, memory, disk
Network connections change rapidly, memory is less volatile, disk is most persistent.
Disk, memory, network
Why wrong: Disk is least volatile, so should be last.
Memory, network, disk
Why wrong: Network is more volatile than memory.
Memory, disk, network connections
Why wrong: Network connections are more volatile than memory.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Network connections, memory, disk
Option A is correct because the order of volatility dictates that the most volatile data (network connections) should be captured first, followed by memory, and finally disk. Network connections change constantly and are lost when the system is powered off, while memory (RAM) persists until power loss, and disk is the least volatile as it retains data even after shutdown. This sequence ensures critical evidence is preserved before it disappears.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Network connections, memory, disk
Why this is correct
Network connections change rapidly, memory is less volatile, disk is most persistent.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Disk, memory, network
Why it's wrong here
Disk is least volatile, so should be last.
Memory, network, disk
Why it's wrong here
Network is more volatile than memory.
Memory, disk, network connections
Why it's wrong here
Network connections are more volatile than memory.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse volatility with importance, assuming disk (which contains persistent data) is more critical to capture first, when in fact the most volatile data (network connections) must be prioritized to prevent loss.
Detailed technical explanation
The order of volatility is defined in RFC 3227 (Guidelines for Evidence Collection and Archiving) and is critical in incident response to preserve ephemeral evidence. Network connections (e.g., active TCP sessions via `netstat -an`) can change in milliseconds, while memory (RAM) contains running processes, open handles, and encryption keys that vanish on power loss. Disk, including the pagefile and unallocated space, is the most stable but may require forensic imaging to avoid altering timestamps (e.g., using `dd` or FTK Imager).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
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FAQ
Incident Response and Recovery — This question tests Incident Response and Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Network connections, memory, disk — Option A is correct because the order of volatility dictates that the most volatile data (network connections) should be captured first, followed by memory, and finally disk. Network connections change constantly and are lost when the system is powered off, while memory (RAM) persists until power loss, and disk is the least volatile as it retains data even after shutdown. This sequence ensures critical evidence is preserved before it disappears.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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