Quick Answer
The answer is PCI DSS, as it is the regulation that most directly mandates law enforcement notification within 24 hours of a security incident involving cardholder data. This requirement stems from PCI DSS Requirement 12.10.1, which explicitly states that an incident response plan must include procedures for notifying law enforcement within 24 hours of detecting a breach, a critical step for forensic investigation and legal compliance in payment card fraud cases. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this question tests your understanding of how regulatory frameworks like PCI DSS impose specific time-bound notification duties, often contrasting with broader breach notification laws that may have longer windows. A common trap is confusing PCI DSS with GDPR or HIPAA, which have different notification triggers and timelines—remember, PCI DSS is unique in its 24-hour law enforcement requirement because it is a contractual standard for payment card security, not a general data privacy law. Memory tip: think “PCI = Police Call Immediately” to recall the 24-hour law enforcement notification.
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.
A company's incident response plan includes a requirement to notify law enforcement within 24 hours of certain security incidents. Which regulation most likely mandates this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
SOX
Why wrong: SOX does not have specific breach notification timelines.
PCI DSS
PCI DSS Section 12.10.2 requires notification to law enforcement within 24 hours of a suspected breach.
GDPR
Why wrong: GDPR requires notification within 72 hours, not 24.
HIPAA
Why wrong: HIPAA requires notification within 60 days for breaches involving unsecured PHI.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
PCI DSS
PCI DSS Requirement 12.10.1 mandates that the incident response plan includes specific procedures to notify law enforcement within 24 hours of detecting a breach involving cardholder data. This is because PCI DSS is a contractual security standard for entities that handle payment card information, and timely law enforcement notification is critical for forensic investigation and legal compliance in payment card fraud cases.
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.
SOX
Why it's wrong here
SOX does not have specific breach notification timelines.
PCI DSS
Why this is correct
PCI DSS Section 12.10.2 requires notification to law enforcement within 24 hours of a suspected breach.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
GDPR
Why it's wrong here
GDPR requires notification within 72 hours, not 24.
HIPAA
Why it's wrong here
HIPAA requires notification within 60 days for breaches involving unsecured PHI.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the 24-hour law enforcement notification requirement with GDPR's 72-hour breach notification to the supervisory authority, or assume HIPAA's 60-day rule applies to all healthcare data incidents, when PCI DSS is the only standard with a specific 24-hour law enforcement notification mandate for payment card breaches.
Detailed technical explanation
PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 12.10.1 explicitly states that the incident response plan must include 'procedures to notify law enforcement and other relevant authorities within 24 hours of detection of a breach.' This is often implemented via a predefined contact list and escalation matrix that includes local FBI field offices or Secret Service offices for payment card breaches. The 24-hour clock starts from the moment the breach is confirmed, not from initial detection of suspicious activity, which is a subtle but critical distinction in forensic timelines.
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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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: PCI DSS — PCI DSS Requirement 12.10.1 mandates that the incident response plan includes specific procedures to notify law enforcement within 24 hours of detecting a breach involving cardholder data. This is because PCI DSS is a contractual security standard for entities that handle payment card information, and timely law enforcement notification is critical for forensic investigation and legal compliance in payment card fraud cases.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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