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 security team is investigating a suspected Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) intrusion. They have identified several IoCs. Which THREE of the following are considered standard types of Indicators of Compromise?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IP address of a command and control server
Option B is correct because IP addresses of command and control (C2) servers are a standard type of Indicator of Compromise (IoC). They represent network-based IoCs that allow defenders to identify and block communication between compromised hosts and attacker-controlled infrastructure, often used in conjunction with firewall logs or DNS queries.
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.
✗
Employee badge number
Why it's wrong here
Not a standard IoC; unrelated to technical compromise indicators.
✓
IP address of a command and control server
Why this is correct
IP addresses are common network-based IoCs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
MD5 hash of a malicious executable
Why this is correct
File hashes are fundamental IoCs for identifying known malware.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Registry key path used for persistence
Why this is correct
Registry keys are host-based IoCs indicating persistence mechanisms.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Email subject line from a phishing campaign
Why it's wrong here
While useful for threat intelligence, email subject lines are not standard IoCs; they are more like indicators of attack (IoA) or TTPs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
EC-Council often tests the distinction between technical IoCs (like IP addresses, hashes, registry keys) and non-technical or variable indicators (like employee IDs or email subject lines), trapping candidates who confuse phishing campaign metadata with standard forensic IoCs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Standard IoCs are categorized into network-based (e.g., IP addresses, domain names), host-based (e.g., registry keys, file paths), and artifact-based (e.g., MD5/SHA hashes). The use of MD5 hashes for malicious executables relies on cryptographic uniqueness to identify known malware, though modern forensics often prefers SHA-256 due to collision vulnerabilities. Registry keys used for persistence, such as those under 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run', are classic host-based IoCs that indicate autorun mechanisms leveraged by APTs.
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: IP address of a command and control server — Option B is correct because IP addresses of command and control (C2) servers are a standard type of Indicator of Compromise (IoC). They represent network-based IoCs that allow defenders to identify and block communication between compromised hosts and attacker-controlled infrastructure, often used in conjunction with firewall logs or DNS queries.
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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Question Discussion
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