This CAS-004 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security analyst is reviewing a suspicious process that has been identified on an endpoint. The analyst wants to determine if the process has any network connections and what data it might be sending. Which tool is most appropriate for analyzing the memory of the affected system to identify network connections and potential data exfiltration?
Wireshark
Why wrong: Wireshark captures live network traffic, not memory artifacts.
Volatility
Volatility is used for memory forensics and can extract network connections and other runtime artifacts.
Autopsy
Why wrong: Autopsy is a disk forensics tool, not for memory analysis.
Nmap
Why wrong: Nmap is a network scanning tool, not for memory analysis.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Volatility
Volatility is a memory forensics tool that can analyze RAM dumps to extract network connections, processes, and other artifacts. It is the best choice for this task.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Wireshark
Why it's wrong here
Wireshark captures live network traffic, not memory artifacts.
Volatility
Why this is correct
Volatility is used for memory forensics and can extract network connections and other runtime artifacts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Autopsy
Why it's wrong here
Autopsy is a disk forensics tool, not for memory analysis.
Nmap
Why it's wrong here
Nmap is a network scanning tool, not for memory analysis.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CAS-004 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CAS-004 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Volatility — Volatility is a memory forensics tool that can analyze RAM dumps to extract network connections, processes, and other artifacts. It is the best choice for this task.
Identify which CAS-004 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CAS-004 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-004 exam.
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