hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CAS-004 Practice Question: During a security incident, a forensic analyst…
During a security incident, a forensic analyst needs to acquire a memory dump from a Linux server without altering the system state. Which tool is most appropriate for this task?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse memory acquisition tools with analysis tools, picking Volatility (A) because it is well-known, or incorrectly assume that 'dd' can reliably access full physical memory on modern Linux systems.
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
✓
LiME (Linux Memory Extractor)
LiME (Linux Memory Extractor) is the most appropriate tool because it is specifically designed to acquire volatile memory from Linux systems while minimizing the footprint on the target system. It loads as a kernel module and directly accesses physical memory, ensuring that the acquisition process does not alter the system state, which is critical for forensic integrity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Volatility framework
Why it's wrong here
Volatility is for analyzing memory dumps, not for acquiring them.
- ✓
LiME (Linux Memory Extractor)
Why this is correct
LiME captures memory safely via a kernel module, preserving forensic integrity.
- ✗
dd if=/dev/mem of=mem.dump
Why it's wrong here
/dev/mem may not provide full physical memory and can crash the system.
- ✗
memdump utility
Why it's wrong here
memdump is a tool for dumping memory but may not be available on all systems and can be intrusive.
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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.