CHFI Mobile and Malware Forensics Practice Question
This CHFI practice question tests your understanding of mobile and malware forensics. 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.
A forensic analyst is performing static analysis of a Windows PE file. Which TWO of the following tools are specifically designed for static analysis of malware?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IDA Pro
IDA Pro is a disassembler and debugger that allows analysts to reverse-engineer binary executables by converting machine code into assembly language. For static analysis of malware, IDA Pro enables examination of the PE file's structure, strings, imports, and code flow without executing the sample, making it a core tool for malware forensics.
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.
✗
Wireshark
Why it's wrong here
Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer, used for network traffic analysis, not static file analysis.
✗
Cuckoo Sandbox
Why it's wrong here
Cuckoo is a dynamic analysis sandbox, not static analysis.
✓
IDA Pro
Why this is correct
IDA Pro is a disassembler and debugger used for static analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Ghidra
Why this is correct
Ghidra is a reverse engineering framework used for static analysis of binaries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Process Monitor
Why it's wrong here
Process Monitor is a dynamic analysis tool for monitoring system activity in real time.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
EC-Council often tests the distinction between static and dynamic analysis tools, and the trap here is that candidates confuse network or process monitoring tools (Wireshark, Process Monitor) with static analysis, or mistake sandboxing (Cuckoo) for static analysis when it is inherently dynamic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Static analysis of PE files involves parsing the DOS header, NT headers, section tables, and import/export tables without execution. IDA Pro and Ghidra both support FLIRT signatures and decompilation, but Ghidra's open-source nature and Python scripting (via Ghidra Script Manager) make it particularly useful for automated analysis of packed or obfuscated malware, where static signatures may fail. A real-world scenario is analyzing a PE file that uses API hashing to hide imported functions—both tools can resolve these hashes via custom scripts to reveal the true API calls.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CHFI question in full detail.
Mobile and Malware Forensics — This question tests Mobile and Malware Forensics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IDA Pro — IDA Pro is a disassembler and debugger that allows analysts to reverse-engineer binary executables by converting machine code into assembly language. For static analysis of malware, IDA Pro enables examination of the PE file's structure, strings, imports, and code flow without executing the sample, making it a core tool for malware forensics.
What should I do if I get this CHFI question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This CHFI 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 CHFI exam.
Question Discussion
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