1 $Which of the following best describes a 'bit-stream' image in digital forensics?$

A.

A logical backup of the Windows Registry

B.

A file containing only the active files from a hard drive

C.

A compressed folder of the user's documents

D.

A bit-by-bit copy of the source drive, including unallocated space and slack space

2 $In the context of the Order of Volatility, which data should be collected first?$

A.

Archival media (CDs/DVDs)

B.

CPU cache, registers, and RAM

C.

Disk data (Hard Drive)

D.

Temporary file systems

3 $Which hardware device is essential during static data acquisition to prevent data alteration on the source drive?$

A.

Network Tap

B.

Hex Editor

C.

Write Blocker

D.

Packet Sniffer

4 $Which file format is considered a 'raw' forensic image format?$

A.

.ad1

B.

.E01

C.

.vmdk

D.

.dd

5 $What is the primary purpose of generating a hash value (MD5 or SHA) immediately after data acquisition?$

A.

To encrypt the image for security

B.

To index the files for searching

C.

To verify the integrity of the evidence

D.

To compress the image size

6 $Which acquisition method is necessary when a computer cannot be shut down due to encryption or critical service availability?$

A.

Dead Acquisition

B.

Static Acquisition

C.

Live Acquisition

D.

Sparse Acquisition

7 $Where is the 'SAM' (Security Account Manager) hive located in a Windows system?$

A.

C:\Windows\System

B.

C:\Users\Default

C.

C:\Windows\System32\config

D.

C:\Program Files\Windows

8 $Which Windows artifact is essentially a snapshot of the contents of RAM saved to the hard drive when a computer is put into hibernation?$

A.

pagefile.sys

B.

swapfile.sys

C.

hiberfil.sys

D.

config.sys

9 $Which Registry hive contains settings specific to the currently logged-in user?$

A.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

B.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

C.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

D.

HKEY_USERS

10 $Which Windows artifact allows an investigator to see which applications were recently executed and the frequency of execution?$

A.

Hosts file

B.

Prefetch files

C.

SAM hive

D.

Cookies

11 $In Windows 10/11, where are Windows Event Logs typically stored?$

A.

C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs

B.

C:\ProgramData\Logs

C.

C:\Windows\Events

D.

C:\Windows\Logs

12 $Which browser artifact stores a small piece of data sent from a website to remember stateful information (like login status)?$

A.

History

B.

Cookie

C.

Cache

D.

Bookmark

13 $What is the function of the Windows 'Pagefile.sys'?$

A.

It records all keystrokes

B.

It acts as virtual memory, extending physical RAM

C.

It stores the boot configuration

D.

It stores printer spooling data

14 $Which proprietary file format, developed by Guidance Software, is standard for forensic images and supports compression and encryption?$

A.

AFF

B.

E01

C.

ISO

D.

DD

15 $When analyzing the Recycle Bin on Windows 10, which file contains the original filename and deletion date?$

A.

$I file

B.

INFO2

C.

$R file

D.

Desktop.ini

16 $Which Windows Event Log ID is commonly associated with a successful user logon?$

A.

4625

B.

6005

C.

1102

D.

4624

17 $What is 'Slack Space'?$

A.

The space used by the Recycle Bin

B.

The space on a hard drive reserved for the OS

C.

The unused space between the end of a file and the end of the cluster

D.

The RAM allocated to the GPU

18 $Which registry key is typically analyzed to determine which USB devices have been connected to the system?$

A.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR

B.

HKLM\SAM\Domains

C.

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

D.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Run

19 $What does the term 'Logical Acquisition' refer to?$

A.

Copying only the files and folders visible to the operating system

B.

Copying data via a logic analyzer

C.

Copying only the RAM

D.

Copying the physical drive bit-by-bit

20 $Which artifact typically stores the user's browsing history in Google Chrome?$

A.

History (SQLite database)

B.

index.dat

C.

WebCache.dat

D.

places.sqlite

21 $What is the purpose of 'Web Cache' or 'Temporary Internet Files'?$

A.

To store user passwords encrypted

B.

To block malicious pop-ups

C.

To record a log of all visited websites

D.

To speed up browsing by storing static web content like images locally

22 $Which Windows Registry key is known as a 'Run key' used for persistence (starting programs automatically)?$

A.

System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

B.

Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

C.

System\Setup\Status

D.

Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

23 $What is the difference between 'Volatile' and 'Non-volatile' memory?$

A.

Volatile memory loses data when power is cut; Non-volatile retains it

B.

Volatile memory is slower

C.

Non-volatile memory cannot be imaged

D.

Volatile memory is stored on the hard drive

24 $Which file system artifact tracks the date and time a user last accessed a specific folder structure or window preference?$

A.

Amcache

B.

Thumbcache

C.

Shellbags

D.

Jump Lists

25 $What is an LNK file?$

A.

A system link file for network drivers

B.

A Windows shortcut file that links to an application or file

C.

A locked file in the registry

D.

A log file for kernel errors

26 $Which command line tool is built into Windows and can be used to query the registry?$

A.

grep

B.

netstat

C.

ipconfig

D.

reg query

27 $Which of the following is considered 'metadata' of a file?$

A.

The text inside a text file

B.

The pixel data of an image

C.

The actual content of a Word document

D.

The creation, modification, and access timestamps

28 $Why is 'Incognito' or 'Private' browsing mode a challenge for forensics?$

A.

It prevents the ISP from seeing traffic

B.

It does not save history, cookies, or cache to the hard drive upon closing

C.

It routes traffic through the Dark Web

D.

It encrypts the internet connection

29 $What is the 'Master File Table' (MFT)?$

A.

A log of all master users

B.

A backup of the BIOS

C.

A partition table for the hard drive

D.

A database in NTFS that stores information about every file and directory

30 $Which registry hive corresponds to the file 'NTUSER.DAT'?$

A.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

B.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

C.

HKEY_USERS

D.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

31 $In a live acquisition, which tool is commonly used to capture RAM?$

A.

Wireshark

B.

Photoshop

C.

FTK Imager

D.

RegEdit

32 $What is a 'Sparse Copy'?$

A.

A copy of only the registry

B.

A copy of data spread across multiple disks

C.

A copy made using a write blocker

D.

A copy containing only allocated data and ignoring unallocated space

33 $Which text-based log file is generated by the IIS (Internet Information Services) web server?$

A.

Syslog

B.

Event Viewer Log

C.

Kernel Log

D.

W3C Extended Log

34 $The 'UserAssist' registry key provides information about:$

A.

Network connections

B.

Installed USB devices

C.

GUI-based programs run by the user

D.

User passwords

35 $What is 'Alternate Data Stream' (ADS) in Windows NTFS?$

A.

A method for streaming video

B.

A backup stream for internet data

C.

A corrupt file segment

D.

A feature allowing data to be hidden behind a file without changing the file size

36 $Which artifact lists files that were present on the system before a reboot or shutdown, often used to identify malware execution upon boot?$

A.

Recycle Bin

B.

ShimCache (AppCompatCache)

C.

Thumb.db

D.

Jump Lists

37 $What does Event ID 4625 represent in the Windows Security Log?$

A.

System shutdown

B.

An account failed to log on

C.

Successful Logon

D.

An account was locked out

38 $In the context of browser forensics, what is 'Form Data'?$

A.

Information entered by the user into web fields (names, addresses, search terms)

B.

The structure of the HTML page

C.

The encryption key for SSL

D.

The digital signature of the browser

39 $Which system file contains the mapping of IP addresses to hostnames, often modified by malware to redirect users?$

A.

networks

B.

hosts

C.

services.exe

D.

protocol

40 $What is the primary difference between Copy and Bit-stream Image?$

A.

Copy is faster; Image is slower

B.

Copy captures only active file content; Image captures the exact state of the drive

C.

There is no difference

D.

Copy is compressed; Image is not

41 $Which tool is commonly used to analyze Windows Registry hives?$

A.

Wireshark

B.

Paint

C.

Registry Viewer

D.

Notepad

42 $What is the function of the 'SYSTEM' hive?$

A.

Stores user settings

B.

Stores file extensions

C.

Stores internet history

D.

Stores system configuration, driver settings, and hardware profiles

43 $Which metadata standard is commonly found in image files (JPEG) containing camera model and GPS coordinates?$

A.

EXIF

B.

FAT

C.

NTFS

D.

ASCII

44 $When preparing a drive for an image, what should be done to the destination drive?$

A.

It should be defragmented

B.

It should be smaller than the source drive

C.

It should be forensically wiped (sterilized)

D.

It should contain the operating system

45 $What is 'Unallocated Space'?$

A.

Space used by hidden files

B.

Space that is damaged

C.

Space on the drive not currently assigned to any active file by the file system

D.

Space reserved for the system

46 $Which artifact is created when a user right-clicks the taskbar icon of an application to see recent files?$

A.

Shortcut

B.

Logfile

C.

Jumplist

D.

Prefetch

47 $In Windows Event Logs, what does the 'System' log record?$

A.

Security audits like logins

B.

Events logged by Windows system components (drivers, boot errors)

C.

Internet history

D.

Events logged by applications

48 $Why is 'Time Zone' information critical during analysis?$

A.

To decrypt files

B.

To convert UTC timestamps in artifacts to the local time of the suspect

C.

To calculate the internet speed

D.

To determine the language of the OS

49 $Which registry value controls the time zone information of the system?$

A.

ControlSet

B.

CurrentVersion

C.

HardwareProfiles

D.

TimeZoneInformation

50 $Which of the following describes a 'Static Acquisition'?$

A.

Acquisition performed while the user is typing

B.

Acquisition via a network connection

C.

Acquisition of RAM only

D.

Acquisition performed on a system that is powered off

Unit 3 - Practice Quiz