Quick Answer
The answer is the communication plan and testing the plan. NIST SP 800-61, the Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, defines these two as explicit components of an incident response plan because the communication plan ensures structured coordination among internal teams, legal, PR, and external partners during an incident, while testing validates the plan’s effectiveness through exercises like tabletop or functional drills. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this distinction often appears as a trap where candidates mistakenly select “detection” or “eradication” as plan components, but those are phases of the incident response lifecycle, not components of the plan itself. A reliable memory tip is to think of the plan as a blueprint: it must include who talks to whom (communication) and how you prove it works (testing), rather than the actions taken during the response.
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. 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 TWO of the following are key components of an incident response plan (IRP) according to NIST SP 800-61?
Acquisition of forensic tools
Why wrong: Tool acquisition is part of preparation but not a component of the plan itself.
Hardware inventory
Why wrong: Hardware inventory is not typically a component of the IRP.
Communication plan
A communication plan is a required component of an IRP.
Testing the plan
Regular testing is a key component to ensure the plan works.
Annual budget
Why wrong: Budgeting is separate from the plan content.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Communication plan
NIST SP 800-61 (Computer Security Incident Handling Guide) explicitly identifies the communication plan and testing the plan as key components of an incident response plan. The communication plan ensures all stakeholders (internal teams, legal, PR, external partners) are notified and coordinated during an incident, while testing validates the plan's effectiveness through exercises like tabletop or functional drills.
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.
Acquisition of forensic tools
Why it's wrong here
Tool acquisition is part of preparation but not a component of the plan itself.
Hardware inventory
Why it's wrong here
Hardware inventory is not typically a component of the IRP.
Communication plan
Why this is correct
A communication plan is a required component of an IRP.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Testing the plan
Why this is correct
Regular testing is a key component to ensure the plan works.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Annual budget
Why it's wrong here
Budgeting is separate from the plan content.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between components of the plan itself (like communication and testing) versus operational activities or supporting resources (like forensic tools or budgets), leading candidates to select items that are part of incident response but not key components of the plan.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the communication plan in an IRP defines escalation paths, contact lists, and secure communication channels (e.g., encrypted messaging, out-of-band phone lines) to prevent attackers from intercepting response coordination. Testing the plan, such as through tabletop exercises or full-scale simulations, reveals gaps in procedures, resource availability, and team readiness, aligning with NIST SP 800-61's recommendation for periodic review and update. Real-world incidents like ransomware attacks often fail due to poor communication or untested recovery steps, underscoring why these are core plan components.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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Incident Response and Recovery — study guide chapter
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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: Communication plan — NIST SP 800-61 (Computer Security Incident Handling Guide) explicitly identifies the communication plan and testing the plan as key components of an incident response plan. The communication plan ensures all stakeholders (internal teams, legal, PR, external partners) are notified and coordinated during an incident, while testing validates the plan's effectiveness through exercises like tabletop or functional drills.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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