During a routine check, you notice a process running with the name 'sysworker' consuming an unusually high amount of system resources on a server. This process is not documented in the company's list of standard applications or services. What is the MOST appropriate first step to take in determining if this process is legitimate or indicative of potential malware?
Restart the server to clear all running processes and reset the system to a known good state.
Review the server security logs and system configuration to correlate the process activity with any documented change or known application.
Isolate the server from the network to prevent potential lateral movement or contagion.
Immediately terminate the process to prevent potential damage or data loss.
The correct answer is 'Review the server security logs and system configuration to correlate the process activity with any documented change or known application.' This choice is correct because it involves checking the system logs and configuration, which could reveal whether the sysworker process is related to a recent change or application update before taking further action. It offers an initial validation step without immediately disrupting potential business-critical services. The other options are less informative as initial steps because they might not provide context on legitimate system changes that could explain the process behavior.
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What are server security logs, and how do they help identify issues?
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What could cause a legitimate process to consume high system resources?
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Why is it better to review logs first instead of immediately terminating or isolating the process?