The answer is to identify all affected systems and scope of infection, paired with immediately disconnecting the file server from the network. These two actions are performed first during ransomware incident response because containment must precede any eradication or recovery efforts; disconnecting at the switch port or disabling the NIC stops encryption in progress and prevents lateral movement, while scoping reveals the blast radius so the team knows which systems are compromised. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this tests your grasp of the NIST incident response lifecycle, specifically the containment phase, and a common trap is choosing forensic imaging or system shutdown too early—shutdown can trigger persistence mechanisms or destroy volatile evidence. Remember the mnemonic “C-Scope”: Contain first, then Scope, to lock down the threat before you even think about recovery.
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
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.
An organization has detected a ransomware infection on a critical file server. The incident response team has been activated. Which TWO actions should be performed FIRST during the initial response phase?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Immediately disconnect the file server from the network
Option B is correct because immediately disconnecting the file server from the network is a critical containment action that stops the ransomware from encrypting additional files on the server and prevents lateral movement to other systems. This aligns with the first priority in incident response: containment before eradication or recovery. Disconnecting at the switch port or disabling the network interface card (NIC) is preferred over a graceful shutdown to avoid triggering any persistence mechanisms.
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.
✗
Determine the type of ransomware variant
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: While useful, determining the variant is part of analysis, not a first action.
✓
Immediately disconnect the file server from the network
Why this is correct
Correct: Immediate containment prevents further encryption or lateral movement.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reimage the file server using a known good backup
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Reimaging is recovery, which comes after containment and analysis.
✓
Identify all affected systems and scope of infection
Why this is correct
Correct: Scoping is crucial early to understand impact and guide containment.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Notify law enforcement authorities
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Notification is important but not a first step; must be done after internal actions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the misconception that identifying the ransomware variant (Option A) is the first step, but in the SSCP framework, containment (disconnection) and scoping (identifying affected systems) are the immediate priorities during the initial response phase.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Ransomware often uses SMB (port 445) or RDP (port 3389) to spread laterally; disconnecting the network cable or disabling the virtual switch port stops these protocols immediately. In a real-world scenario, if the server is a domain controller or file server with mapped drives, delaying disconnection by even seconds can allow the ransomware to encrypt network shares and propagate via Group Policy or scheduled tasks. The incident response team should also capture a memory dump before disconnecting if possible, but containment takes precedence over forensics when the infection is active.
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.
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: Immediately disconnect the file server from the network — Option B is correct because immediately disconnecting the file server from the network is a critical containment action that stops the ransomware from encrypting additional files on the server and prevents lateral movement to other systems. This aligns with the first priority in incident response: containment before eradication or recovery. Disconnecting at the switch port or disabling the network interface card (NIC) is preferred over a graceful shutdown to avoid triggering any persistence mechanisms.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.