1
SANS 410 Exam Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 | Incident Response Foundations | Q1 – Q36
Section 2 | Threat Intelligence and Analysis | Q37 – Q72
Section 3 | Network Forensics and Investigation | Q73 – Q108
Section 4 | Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering | Q109 – Q144
Section 5 | Incident Recovery, Reporting, and Legal Considerations | Q145 – Q180
Instructions: Choose the single best answer. Pass: 75% in 180 minutes.
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: INCIDENT RESPONSE FOUNDATIONS Q1 – Q36
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 180
A critical database server in a healthcare environment begins encrypting files at 0300 hours, and
the on-call engineer confirms a ransomware note has appeared. The CISO activates the Incident
Response Team, but before any containment actions are taken, the lead handler insists on
preserving the volatile state of the system.
A. Immediately disconnect the server from the network to stop encryption.
B. Perform a full memory acquisition of the live system before powering down.
C. Reboot the server into Safe Mode to halt the malicious process.
,2
D. Clone the hard drive using a forensic write-blocker.
B. Perform a full memory acquisition of the live system before powering down. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Acquiring memory preserves the encryption keys, running processes, and network connections
which are lost immediately upon shutdown or disconnection. Disconnecting the network halts
the encryption but destroys the evidence needed for decryption analysis. Cloning the drive is a
post-containment step and misses the volatile artifacts entirely.
Question 2 of 180
An organization's CSIRT is developing their initial containment procedures for a worm outbreak.
The worm spreads via unpatched SMB vulnerabilities across the internal LAN. The team must
choose a strategy that balances business continuity with stopping the spread.
A. Segment the network by shutting down all core switches.
B. Apply SMB signature-based blocking at the perimeter firewall.
C. Disable unused SMB ports on all endpoints via group policy.
D. Disconnect all internet-facing systems from the network.
C. Disable unused SMB ports on all endpoints via group policy. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: C
Disabling the specific protocol vector (SMB) stops the worm's ability to propagate internally
while allowing other critical business functions to continue. Shutting down core switches halts
all business operations, and perimeter firewalls generally do not inspect internal-to-internal
traffic where the worm is spreading. Disconnecting internet-facing systems does not stop lateral
movement.
Question 3 of 180
,3
During the preparation phase of incident response, a security manager is drafting the "Call Tree"
for a major breach. They must ensure that the correct personnel are notified based on the severity
and category of the event.
A. Include only the technical staff to ensure rapid remediation.
B. List legal and HR contacts for incidents involving PII or insider threats.
C. Exclude the CISO to avoid executive bottlenecking the technical response.
D. Use the same notification list for every incident type to simplify the process.
B. List legal and HR contacts for incidents involving PII or insider threats. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Incidents involving data breaches or employee misconduct require immediate legal and HR
involvement to manage regulatory compliance and employee privacy laws. Technical staff alone
cannot make legal decisions, and excluding leadership removes necessary authorization. Using a
single list for all incidents leads to notification fatigue and irrelevant personnel being woken up
for minor issues.
Question 4 of 180
A tier-1 analyst detects multiple failed login attempts for the "admin" account originating from a
foreign IP address. The attempts are occurring every few seconds, but the account is not being
locked out. The analyst needs to verify if this is a brute-force attack or a configuration error.
A. Block the foreign IP address immediately at the border router.
B. Check the account lockout policy settings to see if it is disabled.
C. Reset the "admin" password to a more complex value.
D. Disable the "admin" account permanently to prevent access.
B. Check the account lockout policy settings to see if it is disabled. ✓ CORRECT
, 4
Correct Answer: B
Verifying the configuration explains why the account is not locking out despite the repeated
failures, helping distinguish between a successful attack and a vulnerability. Blocking the IP
addresses is a containment action, but understanding the configuration failure is critical for the
root cause analysis. Resetting the password without securing the system does not stop the
attempt.
Question 5 of 180
A manufacturing company discovers that a disgruntled employee, who was terminated two days
ago, still has active VPN access and logged in last night. The incident response priority is to
prevent immediate data theft.
A. Send a termination email to the employee requesting they disconnect.
B. Revoke the user's VPN certificate and disable the Active Directory account.
C. Change the shared VPN group password used by all employees.
D. Contact the employee's previous manager to ask for confirmation.
B. Revoke the user's VPN certificate and disable the Active Directory account. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Revoking certificates and disabling the AD account immediately cuts off the attacker's access
and is the most effective technical containment step. Changing a shared group password disrupts
all users, not just the threat. Contacting the manager or sending an email to the attacker wastes
valuable time.
Question 6 of 180
An incident responder is classifying an incident involving the defacement of a public-facing
website. The website is down, and customer confidence is at risk. According to the incident
categorization matrix, which factor weighs most heavily in classifying this as "High" severity?
SANS 410 Exam Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 | Incident Response Foundations | Q1 – Q36
Section 2 | Threat Intelligence and Analysis | Q37 – Q72
Section 3 | Network Forensics and Investigation | Q73 – Q108
Section 4 | Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering | Q109 – Q144
Section 5 | Incident Recovery, Reporting, and Legal Considerations | Q145 – Q180
Instructions: Choose the single best answer. Pass: 75% in 180 minutes.
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: INCIDENT RESPONSE FOUNDATIONS Q1 – Q36
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 180
A critical database server in a healthcare environment begins encrypting files at 0300 hours, and
the on-call engineer confirms a ransomware note has appeared. The CISO activates the Incident
Response Team, but before any containment actions are taken, the lead handler insists on
preserving the volatile state of the system.
A. Immediately disconnect the server from the network to stop encryption.
B. Perform a full memory acquisition of the live system before powering down.
C. Reboot the server into Safe Mode to halt the malicious process.
,2
D. Clone the hard drive using a forensic write-blocker.
B. Perform a full memory acquisition of the live system before powering down. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Acquiring memory preserves the encryption keys, running processes, and network connections
which are lost immediately upon shutdown or disconnection. Disconnecting the network halts
the encryption but destroys the evidence needed for decryption analysis. Cloning the drive is a
post-containment step and misses the volatile artifacts entirely.
Question 2 of 180
An organization's CSIRT is developing their initial containment procedures for a worm outbreak.
The worm spreads via unpatched SMB vulnerabilities across the internal LAN. The team must
choose a strategy that balances business continuity with stopping the spread.
A. Segment the network by shutting down all core switches.
B. Apply SMB signature-based blocking at the perimeter firewall.
C. Disable unused SMB ports on all endpoints via group policy.
D. Disconnect all internet-facing systems from the network.
C. Disable unused SMB ports on all endpoints via group policy. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: C
Disabling the specific protocol vector (SMB) stops the worm's ability to propagate internally
while allowing other critical business functions to continue. Shutting down core switches halts
all business operations, and perimeter firewalls generally do not inspect internal-to-internal
traffic where the worm is spreading. Disconnecting internet-facing systems does not stop lateral
movement.
Question 3 of 180
,3
During the preparation phase of incident response, a security manager is drafting the "Call Tree"
for a major breach. They must ensure that the correct personnel are notified based on the severity
and category of the event.
A. Include only the technical staff to ensure rapid remediation.
B. List legal and HR contacts for incidents involving PII or insider threats.
C. Exclude the CISO to avoid executive bottlenecking the technical response.
D. Use the same notification list for every incident type to simplify the process.
B. List legal and HR contacts for incidents involving PII or insider threats. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Incidents involving data breaches or employee misconduct require immediate legal and HR
involvement to manage regulatory compliance and employee privacy laws. Technical staff alone
cannot make legal decisions, and excluding leadership removes necessary authorization. Using a
single list for all incidents leads to notification fatigue and irrelevant personnel being woken up
for minor issues.
Question 4 of 180
A tier-1 analyst detects multiple failed login attempts for the "admin" account originating from a
foreign IP address. The attempts are occurring every few seconds, but the account is not being
locked out. The analyst needs to verify if this is a brute-force attack or a configuration error.
A. Block the foreign IP address immediately at the border router.
B. Check the account lockout policy settings to see if it is disabled.
C. Reset the "admin" password to a more complex value.
D. Disable the "admin" account permanently to prevent access.
B. Check the account lockout policy settings to see if it is disabled. ✓ CORRECT
, 4
Correct Answer: B
Verifying the configuration explains why the account is not locking out despite the repeated
failures, helping distinguish between a successful attack and a vulnerability. Blocking the IP
addresses is a containment action, but understanding the configuration failure is critical for the
root cause analysis. Resetting the password without securing the system does not stop the
attempt.
Question 5 of 180
A manufacturing company discovers that a disgruntled employee, who was terminated two days
ago, still has active VPN access and logged in last night. The incident response priority is to
prevent immediate data theft.
A. Send a termination email to the employee requesting they disconnect.
B. Revoke the user's VPN certificate and disable the Active Directory account.
C. Change the shared VPN group password used by all employees.
D. Contact the employee's previous manager to ask for confirmation.
B. Revoke the user's VPN certificate and disable the Active Directory account. ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: B
Revoking certificates and disabling the AD account immediately cuts off the attacker's access
and is the most effective technical containment step. Changing a shared group password disrupts
all users, not just the threat. Contacting the manager or sending an email to the attacker wastes
valuable time.
Question 6 of 180
An incident responder is classifying an incident involving the defacement of a public-facing
website. The website is down, and customer confidence is at risk. According to the incident
categorization matrix, which factor weighs most heavily in classifying this as "High" severity?
