- A
Preparation
Preparation is the first phase, involving planning and training.
- B
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
This combined phase addresses stopping the incident and restoring operations.
- C
Auditing
Why wrong: Auditing is a separate governance activity, not a response phase.
- D
Budgeting
Why wrong: Budgeting is not a phase of incident response.
- E
Detection and Analysis
Detection and analysis is the phase where incidents are identified.
Question 806 of 1,000
easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are standard phases…
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of sscp exam topics. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which THREE of the following are standard phases of the incident response lifecycle?
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
✓
Preparation
Option A is correct because Preparation is the foundational phase of the incident response lifecycle, as defined by NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2. This phase involves establishing policies, creating incident response plans, forming a CSIRT, and provisioning tools (e.g., SIEM, forensic workstations) before any incident occurs. Without proper preparation, all subsequent phases are significantly less effective.
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.
- ✓
Preparation
Why this is correct
Preparation is the first phase, involving planning and training.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
Why this is correct
This combined phase addresses stopping the incident and restoring operations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Auditing
Why it's wrong here
Auditing is a separate governance activity, not a response phase.
- ✗
Budgeting
Why it's wrong here
Budgeting is not a phase of incident response.
- ✓
Detection and Analysis
Why this is correct
Detection and analysis is the phase where incidents are identified.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests candidates by including plausible-sounding business or audit terms (like Auditing or Budgeting) as distractors, expecting test-takers to confuse supporting activities with formal lifecycle phases defined in NIST or SANS frameworks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The incident response lifecycle typically follows the NIST SP 800-61 model: Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment/Eradication/Recovery, and Post-Incident Activity. The SANS PICERL model expands this into six phases: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned. In both frameworks, Detection and Analysis is the phase where indicators of compromise (IoCs) are correlated from logs, network flows, and endpoint alerts to confirm an incident, often using tools like Sysmon, Wireshark, or SIEM correlation rules.
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 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
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Preparation — Option A is correct because Preparation is the foundational phase of the incident response lifecycle, as defined by NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2. This phase involves establishing policies, creating incident response plans, forming a CSIRT, and provisioning tools (e.g., SIEM, forensic workstations) before any incident occurs. Without proper preparation, all subsequent phases are significantly less effective.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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