- A
Acquire a memory dump from the stopped instance by re-attaching the root volume to a forensic workstation.
Why wrong: Memory is volatile and lost when the instance is stopped; cannot be acquired after power-off.
- B
Review the instance metadata log to identify the user who launched the instance.
Why wrong: Metadata is not disk evidence; disk preservation is higher priority.
- C
Create a forensic copy of the EBS snapshot and attach it to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account to avoid altering evidence.
The snapshot is the only disk evidence; making a copy in a separate account prevents accidental modification.
- D
Analyze the VPC Flow Logs to determine if other instances communicated with the same external IP.
Why wrong: While useful, this is an analysis step, not the first preservation step.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create a forensic copy of the EBS snapshot and attach it to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account. This step is critical because it preserves the original evidence integrity by preventing any accidental writes or modifications during analysis, adhering to the order of volatility and chain of custody requirements. In cloud forensics, EBS snapshot acquisition must follow the same forensic principles as physical disk imaging—never work on the original evidence. On the Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator CHFI exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cloud-specific forensic procedures, where a common trap is to attach the snapshot directly to a new instance in the same compromised account, risking cross-contamination or accidental data alteration. Remember the mnemonic “Copy, Isolate, Analyze” to reinforce that the first action is always creating a bit-for-bit copy in a separate, sterile environment.
CHFI Network and Cloud Forensics Practice Question
This CHFI practice question tests your understanding of network and cloud forensics. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
You are a forensic investigator responding to a data breach at a mid-sized company. The company uses a hybrid cloud environment with AWS for production workloads and on-premises servers for legacy applications. The breach was detected when an internal monitoring system flagged unusual outbound traffic from an AWS EC2 instance (i-0a1b2c3d4e5f) to an external IP address (198.51.100.20) on TCP port 4444 during off-hours. The EC2 instance runs a Linux-based web server. The security team has already isolated the instance by removing its security group rules and stopping the instance. You have been provided with the following: (1) AWS CloudTrail logs for the past 72 hours, (2) VPC Flow Logs for the same period, (3) a snapshot of the instance’s root volume (EBS), and (4) the instance metadata log from the AWS console. The company’s incident response policy requires preservation of all volatile data before powering off the instance. Which of the following steps should you take FIRST to ensure a forensically sound investigation?
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 choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Create a forensic copy of the EBS snapshot and attach it to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account to avoid altering evidence.
Option C is correct because the first step in a forensically sound investigation is to create a forensic copy (bit-for-bit) of the EBS snapshot before any analysis. This preserves the original evidence integrity, as required by the order of volatility and chain of custody. Attaching the copy to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account prevents accidental modification of the original snapshot and isolates the forensic environment from the compromised production account.
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.
- ✗
Acquire a memory dump from the stopped instance by re-attaching the root volume to a forensic workstation.
Why it's wrong here
Memory is volatile and lost when the instance is stopped; cannot be acquired after power-off.
- ✗
Review the instance metadata log to identify the user who launched the instance.
Why it's wrong here
Metadata is not disk evidence; disk preservation is higher priority.
- ✓
Create a forensic copy of the EBS snapshot and attach it to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account to avoid altering evidence.
Why this is correct
The snapshot is the only disk evidence; making a copy in a separate account prevents accidental modification.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Analyze the VPC Flow Logs to determine if other instances communicated with the same external IP.
Why it's wrong here
While useful, this is an analysis step, not the first preservation step.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse volatile data preservation with the need to acquire memory from a stopped instance (Option A), not realizing that stopping the instance already destroys RAM, and the snapshot only captures disk data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
EBS snapshots are stored in Amazon S3 and are incremental, but when you create a snapshot of a stopped instance, it captures the entire volume state at that point. Creating a forensic copy involves using the AWS CLI or SDK to create a new snapshot (e.g., `aws ec2 create-snapshot --snapshot-id snap-xxx`) and then attaching that copy to an analysis instance in a separate account to avoid cross-account contamination. The original snapshot should remain untouched and locked (via IAM policies or S3 Object Lock) to maintain a verifiable chain of custody.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Network and Cloud Forensics — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CHFI question test?
Network and Cloud Forensics — This question tests Network and Cloud Forensics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a forensic copy of the EBS snapshot and attach it to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account to avoid altering evidence. — Option C is correct because the first step in a forensically sound investigation is to create a forensic copy (bit-for-bit) of the EBS snapshot before any analysis. This preserves the original evidence integrity, as required by the order of volatility and chain of custody. Attaching the copy to a separate analysis EC2 instance in a different AWS account prevents accidental modification of the original snapshot and isolates the forensic environment from the compromised production account.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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