CAS-004 Security Operations Practice Question
A security analyst is reviewing a suspicious file. Which static analysis technique would the analyst use to examine the file without executing it?
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
✓
Use strings to extract readable text
Static analysis examines the file without running it. Running strings extracts readable text, which can reveal clues like IP addresses or commands.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Submit the file to VirusTotal
Why it's wrong here
VirusTotal may perform both static and dynamic analysis, but it's not a technique the analyst directly controls.
- ✗
Execute the file in a debugger
Why it's wrong here
Debugging is dynamic analysis.
- ✗
Run the file in a sandbox
Why it's wrong here
Sandbox execution is dynamic analysis, not static.
- ✓
Use strings to extract readable text
Why this is correct
Strings is a common static analysis tool.
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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.