The answer is to submit the file hash to VirusTotal. This is the best first step in malware analysis because it provides an immediate, non-invasive reputation check by cross-referencing the file’s unique hash against dozens of antivirus engines, revealing known malicious indicators without executing the suspicious PE executable. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this question tests your understanding of safe triage during incident response—specifically that static analysis begins with hash lookups, not dynamic execution or disassembly. A common trap is choosing to run the file in a sandbox first, which risks accidental execution; instead, remember that a hash check is passive and instantaneous. For a memory tip, think “Hash First, No Splash”—always verify the hash before letting the file splash into a sandbox.
CEH Practice Question: Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of malware, social engineering and network attacks. 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 a ransomware incident response, a forensic analyst recovers a suspicious file that appears to be a PE executable. The analyst wants to quickly check if the file is known malware without executing it. Which of the following is the BEST first step?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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.
Why wrong: Disassembly is time-consuming and advanced; not the best first step.
B
Submit the file hash to VirusTotal
Correct. VirusTotal provides a quick check against multiple AV engines and threat intelligence feeds.
C
Perform static analysis using PEiD to identify compiler and packer
Why wrong: PEiD provides useful info but does not directly indicate if the file is known malware; VirusTotal is more comprehensive.
D
Run the file in a sandbox and observe its behavior
Why wrong: While dynamic analysis is useful, it is more time-consuming and may not be the quickest first step; static analysis via VirusTotal is faster.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Submit the file hash to VirusTotal
VirusTotal aggregates many antivirus engines and provides a quick reputation check. Submitting the file hash (or the file itself) is non-invasive and immediately reveals known malicious indicators.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Disassemble the file using IDA Pro
Why it's wrong here
Disassembly is time-consuming and advanced; not the best first step.
✓
Submit the file hash to VirusTotal
Why this is correct
Correct. VirusTotal provides a quick check against multiple AV engines and threat intelligence feeds.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Perform static analysis using PEiD to identify compiler and packer
Why it's wrong here
PEiD provides useful info but does not directly indicate if the file is known malware; VirusTotal is more comprehensive.
✗
Run the file in a sandbox and observe its behavior
Why it's wrong here
While dynamic analysis is useful, it is more time-consuming and may not be the quickest first step; static analysis via VirusTotal is faster.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CEH 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Identify which CEH 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.
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Submit the file hash to VirusTotal — VirusTotal aggregates many antivirus engines and provides a quick reputation check. Submitting the file hash (or the file itself) is non-invasive and immediately reveals known malicious indicators.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Identify which CEH 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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "first". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security analyst is investigating a suspicious file and wants to quickly determine whether it is known malware without executing it. Which approach should the analyst use FIRST?
medium
A.Disassemble the file with IDA Pro
B.Check for strings in the binary
C.Run the file in a sandbox environment
✓ D.Submit the file to VirusTotal for hash lookup
Why D: Static analysis via VirusTotal checks file hashes against known malware databases without execution. This is the fastest, safest first step.
Variation 2. During a forensic investigation, an analyst retrieves a suspicious executable. Running 'strings' reveals no readable text, and VirusTotal shows zero detections. However, when executed in a sandbox, the binary connects to a remote IP and injects code into 'explorer.exe'. Which conclusion is MOST accurate?
hard
A.The file is a worm because it connects to a remote IP
✓ B.The file is likely a packed trojan that evades signature-based detection
C.The file is benign because static analysis found no indicators
D.The file is a false positive and the sandbox environment is compromised
Why B: The binary evades static analysis (packed, no strings, undetected by AV) but exhibits malicious behavior in dynamic analysis (network connection, process injection). This suggests it is a packed or obfuscated trojan.
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This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.
Question Discussion
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