A fully updated 2026 Digital-Forensics-in-Cybersecurity Exam Dumps exam guide from training expert TestPassKing
Provides complete coverage of every objective on exam and exam preparation Digital-Forensics-in-Cybersecurity
WGU Digital-Forensics-in-Cybersecurity Exam Syllabus Topics:
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NEW QUESTION # 30
Which universal principle must be observed when handling digital evidence?
- A. Avoid making changes to the evidence
- B. Get the signatures of two witnesses
- C. Keep the evidence in a plastic bag
- D. Make a copy and analyze the original
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The foremost principle in digital forensics isnever altering the original evidence. This ensures integrity, authenticity, and admissibility in court.
* Investigators analyze forensic copies, not originals.
* Write-blockers and hashing are used to prevent changes.
* Any alteration-intentional or accidental-can invalidate evidence.
Reference:NIST SP 800-86 and SP 800-101 define the unaltered preservation of evidence as the first and most essential forensic rule.
NEW QUESTION # 31
Which United States law defines requirements for record keeping and destruction of electronic records for publicly traded companies?
- A. Telecommunications Act
- B. Sarbanes-Oxley Act
- C. USA PATRIOT Act
- D. Computer Security Act
Answer: B
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) establishes strict requirements for the creation, retention, protection, and destruction of electronic business records for publicly traded companies. The law was enacted to prevent corporate fraud and mandates secure handling of digital documents, email, and logs.
* SOX requires auditing controls that ensure electronic records remain unaltered.
* Section 802 specifically defines criminal penalties for altering, destroying, or falsifying electronic records.
* Forensic investigators must ensure evidence from publicly traded companies is retained in compliance with SOX requirements.
Reference:Digital Forensics and legal compliance guides cite SOX as the primary U.S. law governing electronic record retention and destruction procedures for publicly traded organizations.
NEW QUESTION # 32
A digital forensic examiner receives a computer used in a hacking case. The examiner is asked to extract information from the computer's Registry.
How should the examiner proceed when obtaining the requested digital evidence?
- A. Enlist a colleague to witness the investigative process
- B. Investigate whether the computer was properly seized
- C. Ensure that any tools and techniques used are widely accepted
- D. Download a tool from a hacking website to extract the data
Answer: C
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
In digital forensics, the use of reliable, validated, and widely accepted tools and techniques is critical to maintain the integrity and admissibility of digital evidence. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines and the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) standards, any forensic process must utilize methods that are recognized by the forensic community and have undergone rigorous testing to ensure accuracy and reliability.
* Using validated tools helps prevent evidence contamination or loss and ensures that results can withstand legal scrutiny.
* While proper seizure and witnessing are important, the priority in the extraction phase is to use appropriate, trusted tools.
* Downloading tools from unauthorized or suspicious sources can compromise the evidence and is not an ethical or legal practice.
Reference:NIST SP 800-101 (Guidelines on Mobile Device Forensics) and SWGDE Best Practices emphasize tool validation and adherence to community-accepted methods as foundational principles in forensic examination.
NEW QUESTION # 33
A computer involved in a crime is infected with malware. The computer is on and connected to the company's network. The forensic investigator arrives at the scene.
Which action should be the investigator's first step?
- A. Run malware removal tools
- B. Copy files to external media
- C. Turn off the computer
- D. Unplug the computer's Ethernet cable
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Disconnecting the computer from the network by unplugging the Ethernet cable prevents further spread of malware and stops external communication that could lead to data exfiltration. This containment step is vital before further evidence collection.
* Maintaining system power preserves volatile memory.
* Network disconnection is recommended by incident response guidelines.
Reference:NIST SP 800-61 recommends isolating affected systems from networks early in incident response.
NEW QUESTION # 34
Which law or guideline lists the four states a mobile device can be in when data is extracted from it?
- A. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- B. Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
- C. Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA)
- D. NIST SP 800-72 Guidelines
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
NIST Special Publication 800-72 provides guidelines for mobile device forensics and identifies four device states during data extraction: active, idle, powered off, and locked. These states influence how data can be accessed and preserved.
* Understanding these states helps forensic investigators select appropriate acquisition techniques.
* NIST SP 800-72 is a key reference for mobile device forensic methodologies.
Reference:NIST SP 800-72 offers authoritative guidelines on handling mobile device data in forensic investigations.
NEW QUESTION # 35
An organization has identified a system breach and has collected volatile data from the system.
Which evidence type should be collected next?
- A. Running processes
- B. Temporary data
- C. Network connections
- D. File timestamps
Answer: C
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
In incident response, after collecting volatile data (such as contents of RAM), the next priority is often to collect network-related evidence such as active network connections. Network connections can reveal ongoing communications, attacker activity, command and control channels, or data exfiltration paths.
* Running processes and temporary data are also volatile but typically collected simultaneously or immediately after volatile memory.
* File timestamps relate to non-volatile data and are collected later after volatile data acquisition to preserve evidence integrity.
* This sequence is supported by NIST SP 800-86 and SANS Incident Handler's Handbook which emphasize the volatility of evidence and recommend capturing network state immediately after memory.
NEW QUESTION # 36
The chief executive officer (CEO) of a small computer company has identified a potential hacking attack from an outside competitor.
Which type of evidence should a forensics investigator use to identify the source of the hack?
- A. Email archives
- B. Network transaction logs
- C. Browser history
- D. File system metadata
Answer: B
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Network transaction logs capture records of network connections, including source and destination IP addresses, ports, and timestamps. These logs are essential in identifying the attacker's origin and understanding the nature of the intrusion.
* Network logs provide traceability back to the attacker.
* Forensic procedures prioritize collecting network logs to identify unauthorized access.
Reference:NIST SP 800-86 discusses the importance of network logs in digital investigations to attribute cyberattacks.
NEW QUESTION # 37
Which type of storage format should be transported in a special bag to reduce electrostatic interference?
- A. Flash drives
- B. Solid-state drives
- C. Optical discs
- D. Magnetic media
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Magnetic media such as hard drives and magnetic tapes are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD), which can damage data. They must be transported in anti-static bags or containers to reduce the risk of electrostatic interference.
* SSDs and flash drives are less vulnerable to ESD but still benefit from proper packaging.
* Proper handling protocols prevent unintentional data loss or corruption.
Reference:NIST SP 800-101 and forensic evidence handling standards specify anti-static packaging for magnetic storage media.
NEW QUESTION # 38
How should a forensic scientist obtain the network configuration from a Windows PC before seizing it from a crime scene?
- A. By opening the Network and Sharing Center
- B. By checking the system properties
- C. By rebooting the computer into safe mode
- D. By using the ipconfig command from a command prompt on the computer
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The ipconfig command executed at a Windows command prompt displays detailed network configuration information such as IP addresses, subnet masks, and default gateways. Collecting this information prior to seizure preserves volatile evidence relevant to the investigation.
* Documenting network settings supports the understanding of the suspect system's connectivity at the time of seizure.
* NIST recommends capturing volatile data (including network configuration) before shutting down or disconnecting a suspect machine.
Reference:NIST SP 800-86 and forensic best practices recommend gathering volatile evidence using system commands like ipconfig.
NEW QUESTION # 39
A cybercriminal communicates with his compatriots using steganography. The FBI discovers that the criminal group uses white space to hide data in photographs.
Which tool can the cybercriminals use to facilitate this type of communication?
- A. Steganophony
- B. QuickStego
- C. Wolf
- D. Snow
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Snow is a tool that encodes hidden messages using whitespace characters (spaces and tabs), which can be embedded in text and sometimes in image file metadata or formats that allow invisible characters. It is commonly used to hide data in plain sight, including within digital images.
* Steganophony focuses on hiding data in VoIP.
* Wolf is not recognized as a steganography tool for whitespace.
* QuickStego is another tool for text-based steganography but less commonly associated with whitespace specifically.
Forensic and cybersecurity literature often cites Snow as the preferred tool for whitespace-based steganography.
NEW QUESTION # 40
An organization believes that a company-owned mobile phone has been compromised.
Which software should be used to collect an image of the phone as digital evidence?
- A. Forensic Toolkit (FTK)
- B. Data Doctor
- C. Forensic SIM Cloner
- D. PTFinder
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Forensic Toolkit (FTK) is a widely recognized and trusted software suite in digital forensics used to acquire and analyze forensic images of devices, including mobile phones. FTK supports the creation of bit-by-bit images of digital evidence, ensuring the integrity and admissibility of the evidence in legal contexts. This imaging process is crucial in preserving the original state of the device data without alteration.
* FTK enables forensic investigators to perform logical and physical acquisitions of mobile devices.
* It maintains the integrity of the evidence by generating cryptographic hash values (MD5, SHA-1) to prove that the image is an exact copy.
* Other options such as PTFinder or Forensic SIM Cloner focus on specific tasks like SIM card cloning or targeted data extraction but do not provide full forensic imaging capabilities.
* Data Doctor is more aligned with data recovery rather than forensic imaging.
Reference:According to standard digital forensics methodologies outlined by NIST Special Publication 800-
101(Guidelines on Mobile Device Forensics) and the SANS Institute Digital Forensics and Incident Response guides, forensic tools used to acquire mobile device images must be capable of bit-stream copying with hash verification, which FTK provides.
NEW QUESTION # 41
The human resources manager of a small accounting firm believes he may have been a victim of a phishing scam. The manager clicked on a link in an email message that asked him to verify the logon credentials for the firm's online bank account.
Which digital evidence should a forensic investigator collect to investigate this incident?
- A. Browser cache
- B. System logs
- C. Network traffic logs
- D. Email headers
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The browser cache stores recently accessed web pages, images, and cookies, which may include phishing site content and related activity. Investigators analyzing phishing attacks collect browser cache data to reconstruct the victim's web activity and detect malicious sites.
* Cached web pages help corroborate victim statements and establish timelines.
* Browser history and cache are volatile and must be preserved promptly.
Reference:According to NIST SP 800-101 and forensic guides, browser cache is critical in investigating phishing and web-based attacks.
NEW QUESTION # 42
Which operating system creates a swap file to temporarily store information from memory on the hard drive when needed?
- A. Linux
- B. Unix
- C. Windows
- D. Mac
Answer: C
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Windows uses a swap file (commonly calledpagefile.sys) to extend physical memory (RAM) by temporarily storing data from memory to disk when RAM is insufficient. This allows the system to handle more data than the available RAM.
* Linux and Unix typically use dedicated swap partitions or swap files but refer to them differently and manage them in other ways.
* Mac OS X uses a paging file system but does not typically use a "swap file" in the Windows sense; it uses dynamic paging files instead.
* The terminology "swap file" is most commonly associated with Windows.
Reference:Microsoft Windows forensics guidelines and NIST documentation describe the page file's role in virtual memory management in Windows operating systems.
NEW QUESTION # 43
An employee is suspected of using a company Apple iPhone 4 for inappropriate activities.
Which utility should the company use to access the iPhone without knowing the passcode?
- A. Device Seizure
- B. Forensic Toolkit (FTK)
- C. Data Doctor
- D. Autopsy
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Device Seizure is a specialized mobile forensic acquisition tool capable of extracting data from locked mobile devices, including older Apple iPhone models such as the iPhone 4. It supports physical and logical acquisition, bypassing certain lock restrictions depending on model and OS version.
* Device Seizure is widely used in law enforcement mobile forensics.
* FTK is primarily a computer forensics suite, not designed for bypassing mobile passcodes.
* Data Doctor does not support advanced mobile device extraction.
Reference:NIST mobile forensics guidelines and approved forensic tool references list Device Seizure as a tool capable of acquiring data from locked mobile devices.
NEW QUESTION # 44
Thomas received an email stating he needed to follow a link and verify his bank account information to ensure it was secure. Shortly after following the instructions, Thomas noticed money was missing from his account.
Which digital evidence should be considered to determine how Thomas' account information was compromised?
- A. Email messages
- B. Firewall logs
- C. Bank transaction logs
- D. Browser cache
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The email messages, including headers and content, contain information about the phishing attempt, such as sender details and embedded links. Analyzing these messages can help trace the source of the scam and determine the method used to deceive the victim.
* Email headers provide metadata for tracking the origin.
* Forensic examination of emails is fundamental in investigating social engineering and phishing attacks.
Reference:NIST SP 800-101 and forensic email analysis protocols recommend thorough email message examination in phishing investigations.
NEW QUESTION # 45
A user at a company attempts to hide the combination to a safe that stores confidential information in a data file called vacationdetails.doc.
What is vacationdetails.doc called, in steganographic terms?
- A. Carrier
- B. Snow
- C. Channel
- D. Payload
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
In steganography, the file that hides secret information is called thecarrier. The carrier file appears normal and contains embedded hidden data (the payload).
* Payload refers to the actual secret data hidden inside the carrier.
* Snow refers to random noise or artifacts, often in images or files.
* Channel refers to the medium or communication path used to transmit data.
Thus,vacationdetails.docis the carrier file containing the hidden information.
Reference:Standard steganography literature and forensic documentation define the carrier as the file used to conceal payload data.
NEW QUESTION # 46
A USB flash drive was seized as evidence to be entered into a trial.
Which type of evidence is this USB flash drive?
- A. Testimonial
- B. Documentary
- C. Demonstrative
- D. Real
Answer: D
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Real evidence (also called physical evidence) refers to tangible objects that are involved in the crime or relevant to the investigation. A USB flash drive is physical evidence because it is an actual device containing potentially relevant digital data.
* Documentary evidence refers to written or recorded information, not physical devices.
* Demonstrative evidence is used to illustrate or clarify facts (e.g., models, charts).
* Testimonial evidence is oral or written statements provided by witnesses.
Reference:Digital forensics principles and legal evidentiary classifications (as outlined by NIST and court- admissibility guidelines) clearly categorize physical devices like USB drives as real evidence.
NEW QUESTION # 47
Which method of copying digital evidence ensures proper evidence collection?
- A. Cloud backup
- B. File-level copy
- C. Bit-level copy
- D. Encrypted transfer
Answer: C
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
A bit-level (bitstream) copy creates an exact sector-by-sector duplicate of the original media, capturing all files, deleted data, and slack space. This method is essential to preserve the entirety of digital evidence without modification.
* Bit-level imaging maintains forensic soundness.
* It allows investigators to perform analysis without altering original data.
Reference:NIST SP 800-86 and digital forensics best practices emphasize bit-level copying for evidence acquisition.
NEW QUESTION # 48
Which tool can be used to make a bit-by-bit copy of a Windows Phone 8?
- A. Forensic Toolkit (FTK)
- B. Data Doctor
- C. Pwnage
- D. Wolf
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Forensic Toolkit (FTK) is a comprehensive forensic suite capable of acquiring bit-by-bit images from various devices, including Windows Phone 8, by supporting physical and logical extractions. FTK is widely accepted and used for mobile device forensic imaging.
* Data Doctor is primarily a data recovery tool, not specialized for mobile forensic imaging.
* Pwnage is related to jailbreaking iOS devices.
* Wolf is not a recognized forensic imaging tool for Windows Phone 8.
NIST mobile device forensic standards cite FTK as a preferred tool for mobile device imaging.
NEW QUESTION # 49
A forensic examiner is reviewing a laptop running OS X which has been compromised. The examiner wants to know if any shell commands were executed by any of the accounts.
Which log file or folder should be reviewed?
- A. /var/log
- B. /Users/<user>/Library/Preferences
- C. /Users/<user>/.bash_history
- D. /var/vm
Answer: C
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The.bash_historyfile located in each user's home directory (e.g.,/Users/<user>/.bash_history) records the history of shell commands entered by the user in bash shell sessions. Reviewing this file allows investigators to see the commands executed by a specific user.
* /var/vmcontains virtual memory swap files, not command history.
* /var/logcontains system logs but not individual user shell command history.
* /Users/<user>/Library/Preferencesstores application preferences.
NIST guidelines and macOS forensics literature confirm.bash_historyas the standard location for shell command histories on OS X systems.
NEW QUESTION # 50
Which type of information does a Windows SAM file contain?
- A. Hash of local Windows passwords
- B. Encrypted local Windows passwords
- C. Encrypted network passwords
- D. Hash of network passwords
Answer: A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The Windows Security Account Manager (SAM) file stores hashed passwords for local Windows user accounts. These hashes are used to authenticate users without storing plaintext passwords.
* The SAM file stores local account password hashes, not network passwords.
* Passwords are hashed (not encrypted) using algorithms like NTLM or LM hashes.
* Network password management occurs elsewhere (e.g., Active Directory).
Reference:NIST SP 800-86 and standard Windows forensics texts explain that the SAM file contains hashed local account credentials critical for forensic investigations involving Windows systems.
NEW QUESTION # 51
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