Incident Eradication

5 minutes 5 Questions

Incident Eradication is the process of removing the root cause of a security incident and returning an organization's IT assets to a secure state. This may involve identifying and removing malware, closing vulnerabilities, patching software, reversing unauthorized changes, terminating malicious processes or user accounts, and removing any unauthorized access points. Eradication ensures that threats are removed and their method of entry or persistence is eliminated to prevent future incidents or harm to the organization's resources and reputation. It's essential to track, document, and validate the eradication process to assure that all aspects of the incident have been addressed and resolved.

Guide to Incident Eradication in CompTIA Security+

Incident Eradication refers to the process of effectively eliminating the cause and impact of any security incidents or threats within a system or network.

Importance: Incident eradication is important because it ensures that vulnerabilities are not just identified but are also resolved, preventing further exploitation.

How it works: The initial stages of the incident response process (identification and containment) lead into the Incident Eradication phase. This process involves:
1. Identification of all affected systems
2. Purging of all components related to the incident
3. Repair of all affected systems to their normal operational status.

How to Answer Questions:
When given questions about Incident Eradication in an exam, keep in mind the three basic steps of identification, purging and repairing.

Exam Tips:
1. Focus on understanding the three key steps in Incident Eradication.
2. Differentiate between eradication and recovery – eradication refers to the complete elimination of a threat, while recovery allows systems to get back to normal operations.
3. Understand the role of Incident Eradication within the overall Incident Response process – as one of the main steps that takes place after identification and containment.
Remember, in Incident Eradication, the ultimate goal is complete eradication of the threat from the affected systems, not just mitigation or containment.

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Question 1

An unidentified malware is detected on a company email server. What should be the first step in the eradication process?

Containment and isolation of the infected server Restoring the server from a backup Rebooting the server Disconnecting the server from the network

Correct Answer: Containment and isolation of the infected server

The first step in the eradication process is containment and isolation of the infected server to prevent further spread of the malware. Other options involve either not stopping the malware's spread or mitigation steps that come after the containment.

Question 2

A data breach occurs at a company and attackers were able to access sensitive data. What should the Incident Response team prioritize in the eradication process?

Restoring all systems to a safe state Identifying and categorizing compromised data Notifying law enforcement Locating and removing all access points used by the attackers

Correct Answer: Locating and removing all access points used by the attackers

In the eradication process, the priority is to locate and remove all access points used by the attackers to prevent further exploitation. Other options are related to subsequent stages in the Incident Response process or unrelated actions.

Question 3

A company’s website has been defaced by a hacker. What is the most appropriate eradication step to take?

Replace the defaced web pages with a known-good backup Add stronger password protection to the website Implement a web application firewall immediately Contacting the hacker for help

Correct Answer: Replace the defaced web pages with a known-good backup

The most appropriate eradication step is to replace the defaced web pages with a known-good backup. Other options are either not effective, time-consuming, or unrelated to the immediate problem.

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