Quick Answer
The answer is blocking malicious IP addresses at the firewall and isolating the affected system from the network. These two actions are correct because the containment phase focuses on stopping the incident from spreading and limiting further damage; isolating the system prevents lateral movement and data exfiltration, while blocking malicious IPs cuts off communication with command-and-control servers or attack sources. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish containment actions from eradication or recovery steps—a common trap is confusing containment with removal of malware, which belongs to the eradication phase. Remember the memory tip: "Containment cuts the cord, eradication cleans the board"—if the action stops spread or blocks communication, it belongs in containment.
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 actions are appropriate during the containment phase of incident response?
Restoring data from backups
Why wrong: Restoration is recovery phase.
Removing malware from the system
Why wrong: Removal is eradication phase.
Isolating the affected system from the network
Isolation prevents spread.
Blocking malicious IP addresses at the firewall
Blocking IPs limits attacker access.
Analyzing the root cause of the incident
Why wrong: Root cause analysis is part of eradication and recovery, not containment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Isolating the affected system from the network
During the containment phase of incident response, the primary goal is to stop the incident from spreading and to limit damage. Isolating the affected system from the network (Option C) immediately prevents lateral movement of the threat and further data exfiltration. Blocking malicious IP addresses at the firewall (Option D) is another containment action that cuts off communication with known command-and-control servers or attack sources, effectively containing the network-level impact.
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.
Restoring data from backups
Why it's wrong here
Restoration is recovery phase.
Removing malware from the system
Why it's wrong here
Removal is eradication phase.
Isolating the affected system from the network
Why this is correct
Isolation prevents spread.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Blocking malicious IP addresses at the firewall
Why this is correct
Blocking IPs limits attacker access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Analyzing the root cause of the incident
Why it's wrong here
Root cause analysis is part of eradication and recovery, not containment.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between containment, eradication, and recovery phases, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly classify malware removal or root cause analysis as containment actions, when they actually belong to later phases.
Detailed technical explanation
Containment often involves implementing network segmentation via VLANs or ACLs to isolate compromised hosts, and using firewall rules to block specific IPs or ports (e.g., blocking outbound traffic to known C2 servers using threat intelligence feeds). In real-world scenarios, a delayed containment can allow ransomware to encrypt network shares, so immediate isolation (e.g., disabling the switch port via SNMP or physically unplugging the cable) is critical. The NIST SP 800-61 incident response framework explicitly separates containment from eradication and recovery, emphasizing that containment actions must be taken before any cleanup begins.
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Incident Response and Recovery — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Incident Response and Recovery practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All SSCP questions
504 questions across all exam domains
Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
SSCP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Network and Communications Security.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Systems and Application Security.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Security Operations and Administration.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Incident Response and Recovery.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Access Controls.
Practise SSCP questions linked to Cryptography.
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP fundamentals.
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP scenario.
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Isolating the affected system from the network — During the containment phase of incident response, the primary goal is to stop the incident from spreading and to limit damage. Isolating the affected system from the network (Option C) immediately prevents lateral movement of the threat and further data exfiltration. Blocking malicious IP addresses at the firewall (Option D) is another containment action that cuts off communication with known command-and-control servers or attack sources, effectively containing the network-level impact.
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.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO actions are part of the containment phase of incident response?
mediumWhy C: During the containment phase of incident response, the immediate priority is to stop the incident from spreading or causing further damage. Applying temporary patches (C) can quickly close a vulnerability that is being exploited, while isolating affected systems (D) prevents lateral movement and further compromise. Both actions are short-term measures to contain the threat before eradication and recovery begin.
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.
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.