11. The help desk receives multiple calls indicating that machines are running slowly when running enterprise applications. The help desk notes that the affected machines are out of compliance with the organization's OS baselines. Several users also report receiving virus detection alerts. Which of the following mitigation techniques should the help desk consider first?
Answer: D
Isolation
Isolation is the most appropriate mitigation technique to consider first, as it can effectively contain the affected machines that are out of compliance and potentially infected with viruses, preventing further spread within the network.
A) Patching
Patching is an important maintenance task that ensures systems are updated with the latest security fixes and improvements. However, in this scenario, the immediate need is to isolate the compromised machines to prevent potential infection spread, making patching a secondary priority.
B) Segmentation
Segmentation can enhance security by dividing the network into separate parts to limit the impact of a breach. While useful, it does not directly address the immediate issue of containing the affected machines, which is why isolation is a more immediate response.
C) Monitoring
Monitoring is crucial for identifying issues and understanding system performance over time. However, it does not provide a direct solution to the current problem of slowing machines and potential virus infections, making it less effective as a first response compared to isolation.
D) Isolation
Isolation is the correct choice as it allows for the immediate separation of the affected machines from the network, mitigating the risk of further infection and performance degradation. This proactive step is vital in responding to the reported virus detection alerts and compliance issues.
Conclusion
Isolation is definitively the right approach in this scenario, as it directly addresses the urgent need to contain the compromised machines and prevent further issues, while other options like patching, segmentation, and monitoring are important but do not provide the immediate containment necessary in this situation. Thus, isolation should be prioritized to protect the overall integrity of the network.