Incident Eradication: The Ultimate Guide to Removing Malicious Code

Question 1

Which tool is more effective in eradicating persistent malware: system restore or anti-malware software? Justify your answer.

Accepted Answer

Anti-malware software, as it is designed to detect and eliminate malware specifically.

Answer

System restore, as it restores the system to a previous state, removing all malware traces.

Answer

Both system restore and anti-malware software are equally effective against persistent malware.

Answer

Neither system restore nor anti-malware software is effective against persistent malware.

Question 2

Which software category is specifically engineered to identify and eliminate malicious files?

Accepted Answer

Anti-malware software

Answer

Network monitoring tools

Answer

Forensic tools

Answer

Vulnerability scanners

Question 3

When dealing with an incident stemming from a supply chain attack, what presents a unique challenge?

Accepted Answer

Difficulty in tracing the origin of the malware

Answer

Absence of incident response plans

Answer

Limited access to affected systems

Answer

Lack of skilled responders

Question 4

Which action is typically the initial step in the incident eradication process?

Accepted Answer

Patching vulnerable systems to address known security flaws and mitigate potential attack vectors.

Answer

Hardening the network perimeter by implementing additional security controls to prevent unauthorized access.

Answer

Deleting malicious files to remove the immediate threat and prevent further damage.

Answer

Resetting compromised accounts to prevent attackers from exploiting privileged access.

Question 5

Which of the following metrics can be used to measure the effectiveness of an incident eradication process?

Accepted Answer

Time to eradication, which measures the time taken from the initial detection of an incident to the successful removal of all malicious code.

Answer

Number of system reboots required to complete the eradication process, which reflects the complexity and intrusiveness of the response.

Answer

Amount of data lost during the incident, which indicates the severity of the impact on the organization.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a primary goal of incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

Determining the root cause of the incident.

Answer

Removing malicious software.

Answer

Preventing future incidents.

Answer

Restoring affected systems to a functional state.

Question 7

You discover a malicious file on a compromised system. What is the most secure way to handle the file?

Accepted Answer

Isolate the file and send it to a secure analysis environment.

Answer

Delete the file immediately.

Answer

Rename the file and move it to a different location.

Question 8

You discover a suspicious process running on a compromised system. What is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Isolate the process and investigate its behavior.

Answer

Allow the process to run and monitor its activity.

Answer

Immediately terminate the process.

Answer

Ignore the process and continue with other tasks.

Question 9

What is the main purpose of a digital forensics investigation during incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To gather evidence for legal action or post-incident analysis.

Answer

To remove the malicious software from the system.

Answer

To identify the attacker responsible for the incident.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a common vulnerability exploited by attackers?

Accepted Answer

Strong passwords.

Answer

Unpatched software.

Answer

Misconfigured firewalls.

Answer

Outdated operating systems.

Question 11

When should incident eradication be considered complete?

Accepted Answer

When all traces of the malicious code or software have been removed

Answer

When the system has been rebooted

Answer

When the network has been scanned for vulnerabilities

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a best practice for incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

Relying solely on manual eradication techniques

Answer

Using a combination of automated and manual techniques

Answer

Prioritizing the eradication of the most critical threats

Answer

Testing eradication techniques in a controlled environment

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a recommended practice for eradicating malware from a compromised system?

Accepted Answer

Reformatting the hard drive without backing up critical data.

Answer

Scanning the system with updated antivirus software.

Answer

Disconnecting the infected system from the network.

Question 14

A company has discovered a malware infection on several workstations. Which of the following steps should be taken FIRST in the eradication process?

Accepted Answer

Isolate the infected workstations from the network.

Answer

Reformat the hard drives of the infected workstations.

Answer

Delete all suspicious files.

Question 15

What is the primary purpose of patching vulnerable systems as part of incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To prevent the malware from exploiting the same vulnerabilities in other systems.

Answer

To remove all traces of the malware from the system.

Answer

To identify the source of the malware infection.

Question 16

A user reports that their account has been compromised. After verifying the incident, what should be the next step in the eradication process?

Accepted Answer

Reset the user's password.

Answer

Reinstall the operating system on the user's device.

Answer

Run a full system scan for malware.

Answer

Contact the user's supervisor.

Question 17

Which of the following tools is commonly used for removing malware files from a system?

Accepted Answer

Antivirus software.

Answer

Intrusion Detection System (IDS).

Answer

Vulnerability scanner.

Answer

Firewall.

Question 18

A company has implemented a policy requiring all employees to use strong passwords. How does this policy contribute to incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

It makes it more difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access to accounts.

Answer

It identifies infected systems more quickly.

Answer

It prevents malware from being installed on company systems.

Question 19

What is the difference between 'incident containment' and 'incident eradication'?

Accepted Answer

Containment stops the spread of an incident, while eradication removes the root cause.

Answer

Containment focuses on identifying the source of the incident, while eradication focuses on recovering lost data.

Answer

Containment involves disabling affected systems, while eradication involves reimaging them.

Question 20

Why is it important to thoroughly document the steps taken during incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To improve future incident response efforts and prevent similar incidents.

Answer

To satisfy regulatory compliance requirements.

Answer

To identify the individuals responsible for the incident.

Question 21

After eradicating malware from a system, what is the next critical step to ensure the system is secure?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a post-incident vulnerability assessment.

Answer

Restore the system to its previous configuration.

Answer

Notify the affected users.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about incident eradication is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

It is an iterative process that may require multiple steps.

Answer

It involves deleting all files on the infected system.

Answer

It can always be completed within a short timeframe.

Question 23

What is the primary goal of incident eradication in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

To remove the root cause of the security incident

Answer

To notify affected users about the incident

Answer

To identify the attacker behind the incident

Answer

To assess the financial impact of the incident

Question 24

Which of the following actions is NOT typically part of incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

Conducting a forensic analysis of compromised systems

Answer

Patching vulnerabilities exploited in the incident

Answer

Removing malware or malicious scripts from systems

Question 25

Why is it crucial to patch vulnerable systems during incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To prevent the attacker from regaining access through the same vulnerability

Answer

To gather evidence of the attacker's methods and tools

Answer

To assess the extent of data loss caused by the incident

Question 26

What is the safest approach to handle a compromised user account during incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

Disable the account temporarily, reset the password, and enable it after verification

Answer

Immediately delete the account to prevent further unauthorized access

Answer

Change the username and password, leaving data intact

Question 27

Which method ensures the complete removal of malware from an infected system?

Accepted Answer

Wiping the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system from a trusted source

Answer

Running a full system scan with updated antivirus software

Answer

Deleting suspicious files identified through manual inspection

Question 28

What is the significance of verifying system backups before incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that critical data can be restored if eradication efforts impact system stability

Answer

To identify the initial point of compromise and the attacker's entry vector

Answer

To preserve evidence of the incident for legal proceedings

Question 29

During incident eradication, what should be done with infected files that cannot be cleaned?

Accepted Answer

Securely delete the files using a method that prevents data recovery

Answer

Quarantine the files in a separate folder with restricted access

Answer

Rename the files with a different extension to prevent execution

Question 30

Why is it essential to document all actions taken during incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

To provide a record for post-incident review, improvement, and potential legal proceedings

Answer

To assess the financial impact of the incident on the organization

Answer

To identify the individual responsible for the security incident

Question 31

Which of the following is a potential risk associated with improper incident eradication?

Accepted Answer

Data loss, system instability, or reinfection if eradication is incomplete

Answer

Legal liability due to inadequate security measures

Answer

Increased media attention and damage to the organization's reputation

Question 32

What is the final step in the incident eradication process?

Accepted Answer

Verification of eradication and system restoration to normal operations

Answer

Conducting a post-incident review to identify lessons learned

Answer

Reporting the incident to law enforcement agencies