Back to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Incident Response

5 minutes 5 Questions

Incident Response (IR) is the process of detecting, analyzing, and responding to security incidents or breaches in a systematic and timely manner. The goal of incident response is to minimize the impact of an incident, preserve evidence for forensic analysis, and restore normal business operations as quickly as possible. A comprehensive IR plan includes the formation of an Incident Response Team (IRT), having a dedicated communication plan, conducting regular incident response training, and defining procedures for reporting, containing, eradicating, and recovering from breaches. The IR process follows a continuous cycle of preparation, detection and analysis, containment and eradication, and recovery and lessons-learned, allowing organizations to adapt and become more resilient against future incidents.

Guide: Understanding Incident Response for CompTIA Security+ Exam

Incident Response is a systematic approach adopted by organizations to manage the aftermath of a security breach or cyber attack (also known as an 'incident'). The goal is to handle the situation in a way that prevents any further damage, recovers systems, and reduces recovery time and costsImportance of Incident Response:
Incident response is crucial because it helps organizations manage cyber threats efficiently, minimize losses, interpret and analyze security events, and lead to proactive discovery of threatsUnderstanding Incident Response:
It involves five key steps:
1. Preparation: This is about being ready before an incident occurs, including setting up response capabilities and incident handling procedures.
2. Detection and Analysis: Identifying and investigating unusual activity to confirm a security incident, prioritizing the responses based on impact.
3. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: A strategy to prevent further damage, removing the cause of the incident and restoring systems to normal operation.
4. Post-Incident Activity: It includes learning from the incident and using that experience to improve future response and to prevent recurrenceExam Tips: Answering Questions on Incident Response:
Remember the five steps for a smooth response to any incident response question. A key principle in the CompTIA Security+ exam is to stop the breach and mitigate any damage before anything else. Be aware of different terms and tools associated with incident response, like IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System)Understanding how, when, and why to implement these steps within given scenarios can provide you with a solid foundation for your incident response-related exam questions.

Test mode:
Start practice test
CompTIA Security+ - Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)

Question 1

During Incident Response, you have identified the root cause of a cyber attack as spear-phishing emails. What action should you take to deal with the current incident?

Correct Answer: Activate containment and remediation measures

The best course of action during an ongoing cyber attack originating from spear-phishing emails is to activate containment and remediation measures. This involves steps such as isolating affected systems, resetting compromised credentials, and restoring systems from clean backups. Sending an email to employees about the attack does not directly mitigate the current threat. Installing anti-virus software is a preventive measure but does not address the active incident. Blocking email server access entirely would be too disruptive to normal business operations. Therefore, activating containment and remediation is the most appropriate incident response for the root cause identified.

Question 2

A user reports that their computer is suddenly running very slow and they suspect a malware infection. What is the initial action you should take?

Correct Answer: Isolate the affected computer

The initial action to take when suspecting a malware infection on a computer is to isolate the affected system from the network. This prevents the potential spread of malware to other devices. Running a malware scan without first isolating the system could allow the malware to propagate further. Reinstalling the operating system is a drastic step that should only be considered after attempting to remove the malware through scanning and other mitigation techniques. Simply ignoring the issue is not a valid response, as it leaves the system and potentially the network vulnerable to further compromise.

Question 3

During a routine network audit, you discover a suspicious file on a server. What should be your initial response?

Correct Answer: Capture and analyze the file

The best course of action when finding a suspicious file during a network audit is to 'Capture and analyze the file'. This is done to understand the function, source and potential impact of the file before taking action. 'Deleting the file immediately' is not the best action, as this could possibly cause more damage, or lose potential evidence. 'Ignoring the file and continuing the audit' is also not a correct approach as the file might pose a serious security risk. 'Notifying all employees about the file' might cause unnecessary panic and lead to uncoordinated responses, and should only be done as part of a broader incident response, after analysis.

image/svg+xml
Go Premium

CompTIA Security+ Preparation Package (2024)

  • 1087 Superior-grade CompTIA Security+ practice questions.
  • Accelerated Mastery: Deep dive into critical topics to fast-track your mastery.
  • Unlock Effortless CompTIA Security+ preparation: 5 full exams.
  • 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: Full refund with no questions if unsatisfied.
  • Bonus: If you upgrade now you get upgraded access to all courses
  • Risk-Free Decision: Start with a 7-day free trial - get premium features at no cost!
More Incident Response questions
16 questions (total)
Start 16 question test