If you lock out an account during testing, which action is recommended?

• A. Wait for the account to unlock automatically.
• B. Contact target organization personnel immediately to unlock; other admins may unlock.
• C. Create a new admin account and use it.
• D. Shut down the system to prevent further lockouts.

Answer: (B)

When testing, you should restore access through proper authorization channels. Contact the target organization’s IT or security personnel right away so they can unlock the account or authorize an allowed admin to do so. This keeps the engagement within policy, avoids bypassing security controls, and maintains a clear line of accountability. Relying on automatic unlock may delay the test or be unreliable, and creating a new admin account or shutting down the system would violate scope or disrupt operations.