Identifying Detective Controls in Security Incident Response
After a recent ransomware attack on a company's system, an administrator reviewed the log files. Which of the following control types did the administrator use?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
The core trap is confusing post-incident analysis with prevention; the key is recognizing that 'reviewing' and 'identifying' past events falls under detection, not prevention or correction.
This question tests the ability to classify security controls based on their timing relative to an incident. The community consensus confirms that reviewing logs after an attack is a classic example of a detective control.
Candidates often select Preventive (C) because they associate security controls with stopping attacks, failing to distinguish between controls that stop attacks before they happen versus those that identify them after.
Community Discussion (4 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Detective controls are designed to identify and record unauthorized activities or security incidents as they occur or after they have taken place. By reviewing log files following a ransomware attack, the administrator is actively looking for evidence, indicators of compromise, and the scope of the breach, which aligns perfectly with the definition of detective controls.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Preventive controls (C) aim to stop an incident from occurring in the first place, such as firewalls or access controls. Corrective controls (D) are implemented to restore systems to normal operation after an incident, such as restoring from backups. Compensating controls (A) are alternative measures used when primary controls are ineffective, which does not describe the act of log review.Community Comment Notes
The community unanimously agreed on option B. Comment [1] provides a strong explanation by highlighting that detective controls help analyze incidents post-occurrence to inform future strategies. Comments [2], [3], and [4] simply confirm the answer without additional detail, reinforcing the straightforward nature of this classification question.Official Reference
Exam Strategy
When analyzing control types, focus on the action's timing: 'stopping' is preventive, 'finding' is detective, and 'fixing' is corrective. Always read the scenario carefully to see if the action happens before, during, or after the event.
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