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SSCP Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are key components of…
Which TWO of the following are key components of an incident response plan (IRP) according to NIST SP 800-61?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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
✓
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
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.
- ✓
Testing the plan
Why this is correct
Regular testing is a key component to ensure the plan works.
- ✗
Annual budget
Why it's wrong here
Budgeting is separate from the plan content.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.