CHFI Incident Response and First Responder Skills Practice Question
This CHFI practice question tests your understanding of incident response and first responder skills. 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 suspects a data breach via an external attacker. The incident response plan requires preservation of evidence for legal proceedings. Which order of volatility should the first responder follow?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Capture memory, record network connections, acquire disk image, then collect backups.
Option C is correct because the order of volatility (OOV) dictates that the most volatile data (memory/registers) must be captured first, followed by network connections, then disk images, and finally backups. This sequence minimizes data loss and ensures evidence integrity for legal proceedings, as volatile data is lost when power is removed.
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.
✗
Capture disk image, then memory, then network connections.
Why it's wrong here
Disk is less volatile; memory and network connections must be captured earlier.
✗
Record network connections, capture disk image, then memory.
Why it's wrong here
Memory should be captured before disk because it is more volatile.
✓
Capture memory, record network connections, acquire disk image, then collect backups.
Why this is correct
This follows the correct order of volatility from most to least volatile.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Collect backups first, then disk image, then memory.
Why it's wrong here
Backups are least volatile and should be collected last.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
EC-Council often tests the misconception that disk images are the most critical evidence, leading candidates to prioritize them over volatile memory and network state, which is the exact opposite of the correct order of volatility.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The order of volatility is defined by RFC 3227, which prioritizes capturing data from CPU registers and cache, then system memory (RAM), then network state (e.g., active connections via netstat), then disk images, and finally archival backups. In practice, a first responder might use tools like FTK Imager for memory capture and netstat -an to record network connections before powering down the system to acquire a forensic disk image. This sequence ensures that ephemeral evidence, such as encryption keys in memory or active attacker sessions, is preserved before it disappears.
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 practitioner preparing for the CHFI 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 CHFI question in full detail.
Incident Response and First Responder Skills — This question tests Incident Response and First Responder Skills — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Capture memory, record network connections, acquire disk image, then collect backups. — Option C is correct because the order of volatility (OOV) dictates that the most volatile data (memory/registers) must be captured first, followed by network connections, then disk images, and finally backups. This sequence minimizes data loss and ensures evidence integrity for legal proceedings, as volatile data is lost when power is removed.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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