This CAS-004 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
During an incident response, a forensic examiner is collecting evidence from a compromised Windows workstation. The examiner must follow proper order of volatility to preserve potential evidence. Which THREE of the following items should be collected first, before the others? (Choose THREE.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Master File Table (MFT) from the hard drive
Why wrong: Disk data is less volatile and can be collected later.
Event logs from the Security log
Why wrong: Logs are stored on disk and are not as volatile as memory.
List of active network connections
Network state can change quickly.
List of running processes
Processes can be terminated or hidden.
Contents of RAM (memory dump)
Memory is highly volatile and should be captured first.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
List of active network connections
The order of volatility dictates that the most volatile data (registers, cache, memory, network connections, running processes) should be collected first. Disk data is less volatile.
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.
Master File Table (MFT) from the hard drive
Why it's wrong here
Disk data is less volatile and can be collected later.
Event logs from the Security log
Why it's wrong here
Logs are stored on disk and are not as volatile as memory.
List of active network connections
Why this is correct
Network state can change quickly.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
List of running processes
Why this is correct
Processes can be terminated or hidden.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Contents of RAM (memory dump)
Why this is correct
Memory is highly volatile and should be captured first.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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: List of active network connections — The order of volatility dictates that the most volatile data (registers, cache, memory, network connections, running processes) should be collected first. Disk data is less volatile.
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.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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