Learn the crucial first steps a CySA+ certified analyst should take when investigating a security incident, including best practices for server analysis and evidence preservation.
Table of Contents
Question
During an extended holiday break, a company suffered a security incident. This information was properly relayed to appropriate personnel in a timely manner and the server was up to date and configured with appropriate auditing and logging. The Chief Information Security Officer wants to find out precisely what happened. Which of the following actions should the analyst take first?
A. Clone the virtual server for forensic analysis
B. Log m to the affected server and begin analysis of the logs
C. Restore from the last known-good backup to confirm there was no loss of connectivity
D. Shut down the affected server immediately
Answer
A. Clone the virtual server for forensic analysis
Explanation
When a security incident occurs, the first action an analyst should take is to clone the affected virtual server for forensic analysis. This preserves the original state of the server at the time of the incident, ensuring that all evidence remains intact for a thorough investigation.
By creating a clone, the analyst can conduct a detailed examination of the server’s logs, configurations, and data without risking any alterations to the original system. This approach allows for a comprehensive analysis to determine the root cause, extent, and impact of the security incident.
Logging directly into the affected server to begin log analysis (Option B) should be avoided, as it may inadvertently modify crucial evidence and compromise the integrity of the investigation. Restoring from a backup (Option C) or shutting down the server immediately (Option D) would also lead to the loss of valuable data and hinder the ability to understand the incident fully.
Cloning the virtual server is the best practice in this scenario, as it enables the analyst to gather all necessary information while maintaining the original evidence for further examination and potential legal proceedings.
CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 exam and earn CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 certification.