200-201 Host-Based Analysis Practice Question
A forensic analyst is examining a suspicious file. The file has a high entropy score (close to 8.0) and the PE section names are obfuscated. Which tool or technique would best help determine if the file is packed?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Analyze the PE sections and calculate entropy to detect packing
High entropy suggests compressed or encrypted data, common in packed executables. Tools like PEiD or manual analysis using 'strings' and entropy calculation can confirm packing. Hash comparison with VirusTotal can also help.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use the 'strings' command to extract readable strings
Why it's wrong here
Packed files have few readable strings, but this doesn't definitively indicate packing.
- ✗
Check the file's digital signature
Why it's wrong here
Signature does not indicate packing.
- ✗
Run the 'file' command in Linux
Why it's wrong here
The 'file' command identifies file type but not packing.
- ✓
Analyze the PE sections and calculate entropy to detect packing
Why this is correct
Correct. High entropy and unusual section names are indicators of packing.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.