The correct immediate course of action is to isolate the workstation from the network, then create a forensic image of the hard disk for analysis. This sequence is critical because network isolation stops ongoing data exfiltration via the HTTPS connections to malicious.com and severs the malware’s command-and-control communication, while forensic imaging preserves the full system state—including the suspicious conhost.exe, config.ini, and output.log files—for deep analysis without triggering anti-forensic mechanisms. On the CHFI exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the malware incident response steps, specifically the priority of containment and evidence preservation over active remediation. A common trap is choosing to terminate the process or delete files first, which destroys volatile evidence and can alert the attacker. Remember the mnemonic “Isolate, then Image” to lock in the correct order: stop the bleed before you capture the scene.
CHFI Malware Forensics Practice Question
This CHFI practice question tests your understanding of 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.
You are investigating a Windows 10 workstation that exhibits slow performance and frequent pop-ups. The user reports that the system started acting strangely after installing a 'PDF Converter' from an email attachment. You suspect malware. You have captured a memory dump using FTK Imager and a network capture during the infection. In the memory dump, you find a suspicious process 'conhost.exe' running from a non-standard location (C:\Users\Public\Temp). The process has an open handle to a file named 'config.ini' in the same directory. The network capture shows periodic HTTPS connections to 'malicious.com' on port 443 from the workstation's IP. Using Volatility, you extract the process's command line: 'conhost.exe -hidden -log C:\Users\Public\Temp\output.log'. Which of the following is the BEST immediate course of action to contain the threat and preserve evidence?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Isolate the workstation from the network, then create a forensic image of the hard disk for analysis.
Option D is correct because the primary goal in a malware incident is to contain the threat and preserve evidence for forensic analysis. Isolating the workstation from the network prevents further data exfiltration (e.g., the HTTPS connections to malicious.com) and stops the malware from communicating with its C2 server. Creating a forensic image of the hard disk preserves the full state of the system, including the malicious conhost.exe, config.ini, and output.log files, which are critical for reverse engineering and attribution. Terminating the process or deleting files before imaging would destroy volatile evidence and potentially trigger anti-forensic mechanisms.
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.
✗
Delete the config.ini file and the conhost.exe executable immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting files destroys evidence and the malware may recreate them if persistence is active.
✗
Restore the system to a previous restore point.
Why it's wrong here
System restore may not remove all malware artifacts and can overwrite critical evidence.
✗
Terminate the suspicious conhost.exe process and run a full antivirus scan.
Why it's wrong here
Terminating the process destroys volatile evidence and the malware may reinfect via persistence mechanisms.
✓
Isolate the workstation from the network, then create a forensic image of the hard disk for analysis.
Why this is correct
Isolation stops C2 communication and potential lateral movement; imaging preserves evidence for in-depth analysis.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
EC-Council often tests the principle that containment and evidence preservation take precedence over immediate remediation, so candidates mistakenly choose to terminate the process or delete files (Option A or C) thinking they are stopping the threat, but this destroys volatile evidence and may trigger anti-forensic behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Windows memory forensics, the conhost.exe process is typically the console host for command-line applications, but when spawned from a non-standard location like C:\Users\Public\Temp with a -hidden flag, it indicates a malicious payload that uses process hollowing or code injection to evade detection. The open handle to config.ini suggests the malware reads configuration data (e.g., C2 IPs or encryption keys) that can be extracted via Volatility's handles plugin. The periodic HTTPS connections to malicious.com on port 443 indicate encrypted C2 traffic, which may use TLS 1.2/1.3, making deep packet inspection difficult without decryption; isolating the network stops this communication and preserves the network capture for later analysis.
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.
Malware Forensics — This question tests Malware Forensics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Isolate the workstation from the network, then create a forensic image of the hard disk for analysis. — Option D is correct because the primary goal in a malware incident is to contain the threat and preserve evidence for forensic analysis. Isolating the workstation from the network prevents further data exfiltration (e.g., the HTTPS connections to malicious.com) and stops the malware from communicating with its C2 server. Creating a forensic image of the hard disk preserves the full state of the system, including the malicious conhost.exe, config.ini, and output.log files, which are critical for reverse engineering and attribution. Terminating the process or deleting files before imaging would destroy volatile evidence and potentially trigger anti-forensic mechanisms.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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