CAS-004 Security Operations Practice Question
A security analyst is reviewing a suspicious executable file. The analyst performs static analysis by examining the file's strings and imports. Which of the following findings would most strongly suggest the file is packed or obfuscated?
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 file has very few readable strings
Packed executables often have very few readable strings because the original code is compressed or encrypted. A small number of strings relative to file size is a strong indicator of packing.
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 file imports many Windows API functions
Why it's wrong here
Many imports are normal for legitimate programs.
- ✗
The file has a high entropy score
Why it's wrong here
High entropy indicates encryption/compression but is not directly observed from strings/imports.
- ✗
The file contains a large number of IP addresses
Why it's wrong here
IP addresses may indicate C2 but not necessarily packing.
- ✓
The file has very few readable strings
Why this is correct
Few strings suggest packing or obfuscation.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.