An enterprise uses high-end modular switches as core switches in its business network. Recently, a switching board of the modular switch failed, causing some business traffic to be interrupted…

Question

Options

• ACatastrophic events
• BEquipment and facility failure events
• CCyber attacks
• DInformation destruction incident

• A
  3% (1)
• B
  81% (25)
• C
  6% (2)
• D
  10% (3)

Explanation

A failed switching board on a modular switch is a hardware malfunction - physical equipment stopping to function as intended - which squarely fits the Equipment and Facility Failure Events category (B), defined as incidents caused by the breakdown of hardware, infrastructure, or physical components rather than by any external actor or deliberate action.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• (A) Catastrophic events refer to large-scale disasters (fires, floods, earthquakes) that destroy entire facilities - a single board failure is localized and recoverable, not catastrophic.
• (C) Cyber attacks require a malicious actor exploiting software or network vulnerabilities; no attacker is involved here.
• (D) Information destruction incidents involve deliberate or accidental loss/corruption of data, not a hardware component failing mid-operation.

Memory tip: Ask yourself "Did a person cause it, a disaster cause it, or did the hardware just break?" - if the answer is "the hardware just broke," it's always Equipment and Facility Failure.

No community discussion yet for this question.