200-201 Host-Based Analysis Practice Question
An analyst discovers an unknown process on a Windows host that has no parent process (PPID 0). What does this likely indicate?
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
✓
The process is likely hidden or injected by malware.
A process with PPID 0 is unusual and may indicate a rootkit or direct kernel manipulation. Normal processes have a parent, except for the System Idle Process (PID 0).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The process is a child of the System Idle Process.
Why it's wrong here
System Idle Process does not spawn child processes.
- ✓
The process is likely hidden or injected by malware.
Why this is correct
PPID 0 is suspicious and may indicate the process was created by a kernel-mode component or rootkit.
- ✗
The process is a user-initiated task running normally.
Why it's wrong here
User-initiated processes have a parent like explorer.exe.
- ✗
The process is a legitimate system process started at boot.
Why it's wrong here
Most system processes have a parent like smss.exe or wininit.exe.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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