ECCouncil 212-89 (EC-Council Certified Incident Handler) Practice Test 19

Question 180

After initial scene control, the chain-of-custody owner reviews: An incident involves a shared laboratory where unknown visitors may have handled a suspicious USB drive. Which remedial custody or acquisition step closes the documented gap?

  1. Annotate each account with source, time and confidence limitations
  2. Secure the drive in place until it can be documented and collected safely
  3. Use controlled visitor sign-in and removable-media handling protocols
  4. Label the exhibit with location, collector and first observed condition

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Context and provenance matter when interpreting later technical findings; the custodian can verify that the evidence gap concerning who accessed the original evidence has been corrected.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Clear provenance prevents a memory from being presented as direct observation; this serves which statements are contemporaneous observations, whereas the requested result is evidence-handling correction involving who accessed the original evidence.

B:

Uncontrolled handling could introduce new fingerprints or modify data; for who accessed the original evidence, temporary protection does not complete correction; evidence-handling correction remains necessary.

C:

Better access records strengthen future scene reconstruction; the requirement concerns who accessed the original evidence, so future hardening is not current-state recovery.

Question 181

A first responder begins a documented assessment of the following: A technician repositions monitor cables while taking photographs of a suspect workstation. Which verification or documentation step is required for the stated evidence uncertainty?

  1. Include connection mapping in the pre-handling photo checklist
  2. Document all further changes and stop unnecessary repositioning
  3. Compare the diagram to a documented room walkthrough and equipment inventory
  4. Compare before-and-after photographs and record the exact cable changes

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Even minor scene alterations can affect the interpretation of network connections; the resulting observation can be checked against the evidentiary question: whether original connections are known.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Detailed documentation retains physical network context; the goal is scene or evidence validation for whether original connections are known. Prevention is not incident verification.

B:

Disciplined scene control prevents avoidable ambiguity; immediate protection does not substantiate findings in the decision about whether original connections are known.

C:

A missing device may explain connectivity and attack reachability; the activity targets whether the scene diagram accurately describes network context; scene or evidence validation here concerns whether original connections are known.

Question 182

The initial evidence record needs corroboration after this finding: A manager wants an untrained technician to investigate a suspect phone while it remains connected to corporate accounts. Which evidence-oriented decision is justified before intrusive changes are made?

  1. Train frontline staff to secure devices rather than search through them
  2. Verify responder authority, scope and mobile-forensic capability
  3. Document the power hazard and summon authorized facilities personnel
  4. Stop casual device browsing and transfer control to qualified staff

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

A lawful and defensible acquisition requires appropriate authorization and technique; the resulting observation can be checked against the evidentiary question: whether a collector is authorized and competent.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Defined role boundaries reduce accidental data alteration; when judging whether a collector is authorized and competent, prevention is not incident verification; this is instead custody-procedure prevention.

C:

Physical danger takes precedence over a routine digital acquisition workflow; the relevant condition for that step is whether immediate physical safety is assured, which is not shown for whether a collector is authorized and competent.

D:

Unstructured exploration can change volatile state and cloud data; the goal is scene or evidence validation for whether a collector is authorized and competent. Immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

Question 183

A control owner is preparing preventive actions after observing: An evidence vault stores collected phones beside powered-on radios that may communicate with them. What tested hardening or process measure follows from the lessons learned?

  1. Inspect device state, radio isolation measures and chain records
  2. Maintain tested mobile-device isolation storage and handling methods
  3. Include non-electronic evidence specialists in response contacts
  4. Verify preservation state and document any network exposure after seizure

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

Equipment readiness prevents improvised collection errors; a periodic review of this safeguard can track the risk described by whether seized devices can receive remote commands.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Uncontrolled connectivity may permit new data, wipes or notifications; when judging whether seized devices can receive remote commands, an investigation is not recurrence prevention; this is instead scene or evidence validation.

C:

Mixed physical and digital incidents need appropriate handling expertise; the activity targets whether packaging will accelerate physical degradation; custody-procedure prevention here concerns whether seized devices can receive remote commands.

D:

A clear record identifies possible changes to phone evidence; the goal is custody-procedure prevention for whether seized devices can receive remote commands. Case recovery is not future-risk control.

Question 184

A responder must safeguard a scene or evidence workflow described as follows: A responder images a disk through an untested adapter that silently drops read errors. The first response requires a documented observation AND evidence or scene protection. Which TWO case-specific measures address those separate needs? (Choose TWO.)

  1. Reacquire with a validated write blocker and record earlier alterations
  2. Inspect acquisition logs for read errors, retries and reported sector count
  3. Set the suspect image aside and preserve the original media
  4. Qualify imaging adapters and inspect error reporting during exercises
  5. Reacquire with a validated device and document unreadable regions

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

A matching output size does not prove error-free imaging when tools hide failures; within the combined response for whether the acquisition is complete, this supplies scene or evidence validation: the first responder needs evidence bearing on whether the acquisition is complete with source and context recorded.

C:

Avoid relying on a possibly incomplete copy; within the combined response for whether the acquisition is complete, this supplies immediate evidence protection: the immediate evidence or scene safeguard follows from whether the acquisition is complete; additional acquisition requires separate authorization.

Incorrect Answers

A:

A defensible process documents limitations rather than hiding them; the other incident centers on whether the acquisition modified evidence, not this immediate evidence protection question about whether the acquisition is complete.

D:

Validated tooling increases repeatability of forensic acquisition; the goal is immediate evidence protection for whether the acquisition is complete. Prevention cannot replace immediate action.

E:

Full logging distinguishes collection limitations from deliberate modification; corrective follow-through follows initial protection in the decision about whether the acquisition is complete.

Question 185

A first responder begins a documented assessment of the following: A USB drive was acquired bit for bit, but the stored image cannot be matched to the source. Which verification or documentation step is required for the stated evidence uncertainty?

  1. Calculate and compare cryptographic hashes for source and forensic image
  2. Measure target free space and expected image size before execution
  3. Record acquisition-time hashes and periodic integrity checks
  4. Quarantine the unverified image from downstream conclusions until checked

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Matching digests support that the copied bytes are unchanged within hashing assumptions; the resulting observation can be checked against the evidentiary question: whether evidence integrity is demonstrable.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Writing a memory image locally may overwrite unallocated data or exhaust storage; that method could help with how the collection method can destroy artifacts; the scene or evidence validation decision here involves whether evidence integrity is demonstrable.

C:

Routine verification exposes corruption and accidental replacement; the case needs scene or evidence validation addressing whether evidence integrity is demonstrable; prevention is not incident verification.

D:

Analysts should not treat an uncertain copy as authoritative evidence; when judging whether evidence integrity is demonstrable, immediate protection does not substantiate findings; this is instead immediate evidence protection.

Question 186

The custodian is restoring a defensible collection record following: A live Linux host is scheduled for shutdown, but investigators need its active connections and processes. Which THREE steps separately establish the initial facts, protect evidence and resolve the handling gap? (Choose THREE.)

  1. Capture active socket, process and memory state using approved tools
  2. Include full-disk encryption state in first-response decision trees
  3. Image persistent storage and document shutdown actions after volatile capture
  4. Add boot and firmware checks to relevant acquisition playbooks
  5. Delay shutdown briefly under approved risk controls while collection completes
  6. Maintain tested live-response toolkits and acquisition procedures

Explanation

Correct Answers

A:

Volatile information can expose current sessions and malware that disk imaging misses; within the combined response for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown, this supplies scene or evidence validation: this informs the initial finding about which artifacts will disappear on shutdown without unnecessary disturbance of evidence.

C:

Order-of-volatility handling retains both transient and durable artifacts; within the combined response for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown, this supplies evidence-handling correction: this correction supports an authenticated evidence trail for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown before handling is closed.

E:

Authorized sequencing balances continued compromise risk against evidence loss; within the combined response for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown, this supplies immediate evidence protection: this preserves handling integrity for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown before detailed collection proceeds.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Responders can protect evidence before changing power state; the activity targets which volatile access material could be lost; evidence-handling correction here concerns which artifacts will disappear on shutdown.

D:

Risk-based collection covers low-level persistence cases; it is meant to address which evidence exists outside the main filesystem, not evidence-handling correction for which artifacts will disappear on shutdown.

F:

Prepared collection reduces errors when time is constrained; the case needs evidence-handling correction addressing which artifacts will disappear on shutdown; future hardening is not current-state recovery.

Question 187

A control owner is preparing preventive actions after observing: A volatile memory capture tool writes its output to the same nearly full disk being investigated. What tested hardening or process measure follows from the lessons learned?

  1. Document tool footprint and verify captured memory integrity
  2. Maintain tested live-response toolkits and acquisition procedures
  3. Standardize memory acquisition methods using external targets and integrity checks
  4. Measure target free space and expected image size before execution

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

Prepared destinations prevent avoidable evidence alteration; a periodic review of this safeguard can track the risk described by how the collection method can destroy artifacts.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Collection side effects must be recorded even with careful tooling; when judging how the collection method can destroy artifacts, case recovery is not future-risk control; this is instead evidence-handling correction.

B:

Prepared collection reduces errors when time is constrained; the relevant condition for that step is which artifacts will disappear on shutdown, which is not shown for how the collection method can destroy artifacts.

D:

Writing a memory image locally may overwrite unallocated data or exhaust storage; the goal is custody-procedure prevention for how the collection method can destroy artifacts. An investigation is not recurrence prevention.

Question 188

After initial scene control, the chain-of-custody owner reviews: An employee reports a smoking workstation that may also hold evidence of unauthorized access. Which authorized evidence-handling correction is most defensible?

  1. Secure the area and prevent untrained access to the hazardous device
  2. Perform an approved mobile acquisition with contemporaneous notes
  3. Include electrical and environmental hazards in first-responder training
  4. After clearance, document state and collect evidence under a qualified plan

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Any later forensic work must account for emergency interventions; the resulting custody or acquisition record should be tested against whether immediate physical safety is assured.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Safety controls protect people and keep the scene from being disturbed; the requirement concerns whether immediate physical safety is assured, so temporary protection does not complete correction.

B:

Controlled collection preserves tool settings, timestamps and limitations; the activity targets whether a collector is authorized and competent; evidence-handling correction here concerns whether immediate physical safety is assured.

C:

Digital investigators need safe escalation paths for unsafe scenes; future hardening is not current-state recovery in the decision about whether immediate physical safety is assured.

Question 189

A first responder begins a documented assessment of the following: A responder finds an encrypted laptop that is currently logged in and has a mounted decrypted volume. Which initial forensic observation or acquisition check is supported by these facts?

  1. Document mounted volumes and capture authorized memory and key context
  2. Avoid a routine power-off until approved live collection decisions are made
  3. Capture active socket, process and memory state using approved tools
  4. Include full-disk encryption state in first-response decision trees

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Powered-off encryption may block later access to a currently unlocked device; this informs the initial finding about which volatile access material could be lost without unnecessary disturbance of evidence.

Incorrect Answers

B:

A controlled state decision can preserve decrypted evidence while managing risk; the requirement concerns which volatile access material could be lost, so immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

C:

Volatile information can expose current sessions and malware that disk imaging misses; that method could help with which artifacts will disappear on shutdown; the scene or evidence validation decision here involves which volatile access material could be lost.

D:

Responders can protect evidence before changing power state; prevention is not incident verification in the decision about which volatile access material could be lost.

Question 190

The case requires an immediate custody or preservation safeguard: An imaging technician forgets to capture firmware settings on a machine suspected of boot-level tampering. The first response requires a documented observation AND evidence or scene protection. Which TWO case-specific measures address those separate needs? (Choose TWO.)

  1. Add boot and firmware checks to relevant acquisition playbooks
  2. Record firmware version, boot order, secure-boot state and configuration
  3. Collect supported firmware artifacts and storage images as separate evidence
  4. Exercise VM snapshot collection in the incident response runbook
  5. Restrict firmware updates or resets pending approved capture

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

Boot behavior can be controlled by firmware data not visible in a normal disk image; within the combined response for which evidence exists outside the main filesystem, this supplies scene or evidence validation: the first responder needs evidence bearing on which evidence exists outside the main filesystem with source and context recorded.

E:

Configuration changes could remove indicators and change boot behavior; within the combined response for which evidence exists outside the main filesystem, this supplies immediate evidence protection: the immediate evidence or scene safeguard follows from which evidence exists outside the main filesystem; additional acquisition requires separate authorization.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Risk-based collection covers low-level persistence cases; when judging which evidence exists outside the main filesystem, prevention cannot replace immediate action; this is instead custody-procedure prevention.

C:

Multiple sources help distinguish disk infection from firmware compromise; the requirement concerns which evidence exists outside the main filesystem, so corrective follow-through follows initial protection.

D:

Rehearsal reveals guest-consistency and retention limitations; the other incident centers on whether the snapshot is consistent and authenticated, not this immediate evidence protection question about which evidence exists outside the main filesystem.

EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (212-89) Practice Tests