This CHFI practice question tests your understanding of mobile and malware forensics. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An analyst runs 'regshot' before and after executing a suspicious binary. The report shows that the binary added a value to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MyService with 'ImagePath' pointing to C:\Windows\system32\malware.exe and 'Start' set to 2. What is the MOST likely purpose?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Hiding network connections
Why wrong: No network indicators are mentioned.
Encrypting files
Why wrong: No encryption-related registry changes.
Disabling a legitimate service
Why wrong: No evidence of disabling; a new service is created.
Persistence as a service
Setting Start=2 means the service starts automatically at boot, ensuring persistence.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Persistence as a service
The binary added a service entry under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MyService with 'ImagePath' pointing to malware.exe and 'Start' set to 2 (SERVICE_AUTO_START). This ensures the malware launches automatically at system boot, which is a classic persistence mechanism. The 'Start' value of 2 specifically configures the service to start automatically, making it persist across reboots.
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.
Hiding network connections
Why it's wrong here
No network indicators are mentioned.
Encrypting files
Why it's wrong here
No encryption-related registry changes.
Disabling a legitimate service
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of disabling; a new service is created.
Persistence as a service
Why this is correct
Setting Start=2 means the service starts automatically at boot, ensuring persistence.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
EC-Council often tests the distinction between creating a new service for persistence versus modifying an existing service's startup type or disabling it, and candidates may confuse the 'Start' value of 2 (auto-start) with a disabled state (value 4).
Detailed technical explanation
The Windows Service Control Manager (SCM) reads the 'Start' value from the registry to determine the service's startup type: 0 = boot, 1 = system, 2 = auto, 3 = manual, 4 = disabled. By setting 'Start' to 2, the malware ensures the service starts automatically during system boot, before user logon, which is a common persistence technique used by backdoors and trojans. In real-world investigations, analysts often check for services with suspicious ImagePath values pointing to non-standard locations or executables in user-writable directories.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Mobile and Malware Forensics — This question tests Mobile and Malware Forensics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Persistence as a service — The binary added a service entry under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MyService with 'ImagePath' pointing to malware.exe and 'Start' set to 2 (SERVICE_AUTO_START). This ensures the malware launches automatically at system boot, which is a classic persistence mechanism. The 'Start' value of 2 specifically configures the service to start automatically, making it persist across reboots.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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