ECCouncil 212-89 (EC-Council Certified Incident Handler) Practice Test 114

Question 1130

The immediate risk must be managed. The response record describes: An OT network sees new programming commands to a PLC from a workstation that normally only displays status. The first response plan must document the reported condition AND limit near-term harm. Select TWO case-specific steps. (Choose TWO.)

  1. Verify PLC logic against approved baseline and validate process behavior
  2. Restrict engineering protocol writes from the suspect station under OT change control
  3. Compare PLC programming audit, source identity and authorized engineering schedule
  4. Allowlist engineering workstations and monitor PLC program changes
  5. Use change approval, role segregation and process anomaly detection

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

Write-path containment protects controller logic while preserving monitoring; within the combined response for whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes, this supplies initial containment or preservation: the scope of this restriction follows whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes rather than indiscriminately changing unrelated assets.

C:

Command type and workstation role help identify unauthorized modification; within the combined response for whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes, this supplies evidence validation: it connects the question of whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes to an observable record and a reproducible check.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Recovery requires safe controller state confirmation; when judging whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes, corrective follow-through follows initial protection; this is instead trusted restoration.

D:

Separated roles reduce unauthorized logic updates; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes. Prevention cannot replace immediate action.

E:

Safety-aware controls detect unauthorized setpoint modifications; this serves whether physical process safety is at risk, whereas the requested result is initial containment or preservation involving whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes.

Question 1131

A control owner is preparing preventive actions after observing: A privileged user installs an unsigned kernel extension and endpoint monitoring stops reporting immediately afterward. What tested hardening or process measure follows from the lessons learned?

  1. Rebuild the endpoint, re-enroll EDR and verify kernel-extension controls and telemetry
  2. Detect failed-to-successful login sequences and enforce MFA
  3. Compare driver load, security-agent crash and administrative action timestamps
  4. Restrict driver installation and monitor kernel integrity changes

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Lower privilege and visibility reduce tampering opportunities; a periodic review of this safeguard can track the risk described by whether kernel-level changes caused endpoint sensor loss.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Restoring agent trust and tested kernel controls validates monitoring after the unauthorized extension is removed; when judging whether kernel-level changes caused endpoint sensor loss, case recovery is not future-risk control; this is instead trusted restoration.

B:

Contextual authentication analytics improves detection; the other incident centers on whether password guessing became successful access, not this recurrence prevention question about whether kernel-level changes caused endpoint sensor loss.

C:

The close sequence may indicate an intentional driver-based evasion attempt; the requirement concerns whether kernel-level changes caused endpoint sensor loss, so an investigation is not recurrence prevention.

Question 1132

A post-incident audit examines the following failure mode: A SCADA historian stops receiving data after a new firewall block was installed during a suspected intrusion. What recurring check or restriction would best address the weakness?

  1. Allowlist engineering workstations and monitor PLC program changes
  2. Validate historian ingestion and independent process alarm visibility
  3. Document essential OT data flows and rehearse containment ACLs
  4. Correlate firewall drops, historian flows and controller communications

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

Prevalidated rules reduce accidental outages; the control owner can test whether this reduces repeat conditions affecting whether containment interrupted process monitoring.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Separated roles reduce unauthorized logic updates; that method could help with whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes; the recurrence prevention decision here involves whether containment interrupted process monitoring.

B:

Recovery should confirm trustworthy monitoring has resumed; the requirement concerns whether containment interrupted process monitoring, so case recovery is not future-risk control.

D:

The emergency rule may have blocked legitimate telemetry rather than attacker control; an investigation is not recurrence prevention in the decision about whether containment interrupted process monitoring.

Question 1133

Service owners need a bounded short-term safeguard after observing: A user's laptop is sending rare-domain DNS queries but endpoint security shows no malware detection. Investigators need both a defensible factual finding and a limited immediate safeguard. Which TWO actions jointly satisfy those requirements? (Choose TWO.)

  1. Analyze the artifact and remove persistence if compromise is confirmed
  2. Join DNS events with process command line and installed extension activity
  3. Enable DNS and endpoint behavioral correlation
  4. Investigate the responsible process and clean or rebuild as findings require
  5. Apply controlled outbound isolation and capture volatile endpoint state
  6. Rebuild the endpoint and restore affected files from validated backups

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

Behavioral evidence can reveal threats that static signatures miss; within the combined response for whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise, this supplies evidence validation: it makes the determination of whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise defensible and reviewable by the incident owner.

E:

Caution is warranted when an active channel may exist; within the combined response for whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise, this supplies initial containment or preservation: this is a first-response safeguard for whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise, not a substitute for full root-cause analysis.

Incorrect Answers

A:

A defensible outcome follows evidence rather than filename alone; this serves what corroborates suspicious endpoint execution, whereas the requested result is initial containment or preservation involving whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise.

C:

Layered telemetry covers gaps in signature detections; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise. Prevention cannot replace immediate action.

D:

Response follows the observed execution mechanism; corrective follow-through follows initial protection in the decision about whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise.

F:

Reliable recovery avoids trusting altered local content; it is meant to address whether ransomware encryption has begun, not initial containment or preservation for whether a negative signature alert rules out compromise.

Question 1134

The response record begins with an unresolved observation: An industrial HMI shows unauthorized setpoint changes while the process is operating near a safety threshold. What documentation or telemetry would most reliably support the incident determination?

  1. Follow site safety procedures and coordinate any network isolation with control engineers
  2. Use change approval, role segregation and process anomaly detection
  3. Compare PLC programming audit, source identity and authorized engineering schedule
  4. Correlate HMI commands, controller events and process telemetry with OT operators

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Cyber observations must be interpreted against real equipment conditions; this evidence is scoped to whether physical process safety is at risk, not a generic system-health reading.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Unplanned shutdown can create greater physical danger; the requirement concerns whether physical process safety is at risk, so immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

B:

Safety-aware controls detect unauthorized setpoint modifications; the goal is evidence validation for whether physical process safety is at risk. Prevention is not incident verification.

C:

Command type and workstation role help identify unauthorized modification; that method could help with whether a nonengineering station initiated controller changes; the evidence validation decision here involves whether physical process safety is at risk.

Question 1135

A responder is tasked with limiting immediate impact after this report: An industrial controller vendor prohibits untested security agents, but the SOC intends to install a standard endpoint scanner during an incident. Which immediate safeguard protects the case while later remediation is planned?

  1. Confirm vendor support, process dependencies and authorized maintenance procedures
  2. Use passive telemetry and coordinate containment with OT engineers
  3. Prioritize export of security-critical events to central storage
  4. Maintain OT-specific tool approvals and isolated test environments
  5. Collect evidence through vendor-approved interfaces and validate control functionality

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

Safety and operational continuity govern intervention choices; the protective decision should be recorded and its effect tested against whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Unvalidated software can disrupt controllers and physical operations; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller. Investigation alone does not control current conditions.

C:

Protected off-device logs survive local overwrite; the activity targets whether security telemetry capacity is adequate; initial containment or preservation here concerns whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller.

D:

Preparation avoids dangerous production experiments; when judging whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller, prevention cannot replace immediate action; this is instead recurrence prevention.

E:

Supported methods preserve reliability while investigating; for whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller, corrective follow-through follows initial protection; initial containment or preservation remains necessary.

Question 1136

The responder must establish the timeline from this observation: A network camera still uses a default administrator password and exposes its control interface to the internet. Which analysis step best addresses the missing confirmation?

  1. Inspect listening services, authentication records and asset configuration
  2. Enforce unique device credentials and isolated management networks
  3. Review camera authentication logs, firmware and management interface exposure
  4. Block external management access and change the compromised password

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

Default credentials plus public reachability create a straightforward entry path; the review should retain source and timing information relevant to whether weak device identity enabled unauthorized access.

Incorrect Answers

A:

An unused plaintext management protocol increases attack surface; that method could help with whether an unnecessary remote service exposes device control; the evidence validation decision here involves whether weak device identity enabled unauthorized access.

B:

IoT devices should not depend on factory defaults; when judging whether weak device identity enabled unauthorized access, prevention is not incident verification; this is instead recurrence prevention.

D:

Immediate restrictions limit remote control; the requirement concerns whether weak device identity enabled unauthorized access, so immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

Question 1137

To avoid broad unnecessary disruption, responders consider this finding: A smart thermostat gateway sends traffic to an unknown cloud endpoint after an unapproved firmware update. Which operational control should take effect first?

  1. Filter unauthorized management traffic at the segment boundary
  2. Restore vendor-verified firmware and validate operating parameters
  3. Require signed firmware and approved update management for IoT assets
  4. Restrict the gateway's outbound paths without interrupting essential building control
  5. Compare firmware version and signature with vendor release records and flow logs

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Network containment protects safety and availability; the action limits the impact connected to whether firmware integrity or destination was altered without assuming the underlying flaw is already gone.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Containment avoids repeatedly rebooting the gateway as the only response; the activity targets whether malicious management requests cause availability loss; initial containment or preservation here concerns whether firmware integrity or destination was altered.

B:

Recovery should use supported update mechanisms; corrective follow-through follows initial protection in the decision about whether firmware integrity or destination was altered.

C:

Firmware provenance reduces supply-chain and unauthorized changes; the case needs initial containment or preservation addressing whether firmware integrity or destination was altered; prevention cannot replace immediate action.

E:

An unexpected firmware build can change device behavior and external communication; for whether firmware integrity or destination was altered, investigation alone does not control current conditions; initial containment or preservation remains necessary.

Question 1138

The team wants a measurable hardening change following this situation: Endpoint event logs are overwritten after a few hours because an application generates noisy debug events. What improvement best addresses the root weakness in a future incident?

  1. Include event-retention performance tests in endpoint baselines
  2. Tune debug verbosity and verify investigation events remain available
  3. Maintain OT-specific tool approvals and isolated test environments
  4. Measure event volume, retention settings and off-host forwarding latency

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Capacity planning improves forensic readiness; a periodic review of this safeguard can track the risk described by whether security telemetry capacity is adequate.

Incorrect Answers

B:

A balanced configuration preserves high-value evidence; the goal is recurrence prevention for whether security telemetry capacity is adequate. Case recovery is not future-risk control.

C:

Preparation avoids dangerous production experiments; it is meant to address whether the equipment vendor approves the proposed scanner for this controller, not recurrence prevention for whether security telemetry capacity is adequate.

D:

Noisy logs can crowd out security events before collection; the case needs recurrence prevention addressing whether security telemetry capacity is adequate; an investigation is not recurrence prevention.

Question 1139

An evidence-led review starts with the following report: A tablet fleet has no procedure to issue supervised remote locks after devices are reported stolen. What investigation should establish the disputed activity and its timeline?

  1. Review MDM enrollment, last check-in and available lock commands
  2. Enforce managed enrollment, encryption and loss-response testing
  3. Compare fleet OS inventory with available isolation tooling and privileges
  4. Issue an authorized lock and revoke exposed account sessions

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Device management capabilities depend on enrollment and connectivity; this permits a traceable finding about whether mobile device management can contain loss before the team makes a disruptive change.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Prepared controls reduce loss impact; for whether mobile device management can contain loss, prevention is not incident verification; evidence validation remains necessary.

C:

Unsupported instructions can fail on a material part of the device estate; the relevant condition for that step is whether endpoint playbooks cover deployed operating systems, which is not shown for whether mobile device management can contain loss.

D:

Identity revocation is important even if the offline device cannot receive a command; the goal is evidence validation for whether mobile device management can contain loss. Immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

Question 1140

Active first response is underway for the following condition: An endpoint reports repeated failed logons followed by one successful privileged login from an unfamiliar process. What is the most appropriate short-term restriction or first-response decision?

  1. Revoke unauthorized remote sessions and isolate the affected host
  2. Reset compromised credentials and review all privileged changes
  3. Revoke the questionable session and restrict the affected account
  4. Correlate logon success, process origin and subsequent privileged actions

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

Identity containment limits use of the newly gained access; it protects the affected workflow while investigators continue resolving whether password guessing became successful access.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Access-path containment is essential beyond blocking one file; the other incident centers on whether a remote-management tool was abused, not this initial containment or preservation question about whether password guessing became successful access.

B:

Restoration requires checking what happened after login; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether password guessing became successful access. Corrective follow-through follows initial protection.

D:

A successful authentication after failures can signal an active compromise; the case needs initial containment or preservation addressing whether password guessing became successful access; investigation alone does not control current conditions.

EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (212-89) Practice Tests