GCFA Introduction to Memory Forensics Practice Question
A forensic analyst is examining a memory dump from a Windows 10 system that is suspected of being infected with a rootkit that hides its presence by unlinking its process from the active process list. The analyst runs Volatility 3 and compares the output of the windows.pslist and windows.psscan plugins. Which of the following best describes the expected discrepancy between these two plugins in the presence of such a rootkit?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that both plugins rely on the same process list and would show identical results, missing that windows.psscan uses independent memory scanning to uncover unlinked processes.
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
✓
windows.psscan will show more processes than windows.pslist because it can detect processes that have been unlinked from the active process list.
windows.pslist enumerates processes by following the active process list, which a rootkit can manipulate by unlinking its process. windows.psscan, however, scans memory for process objects using pool tags, which does not rely on the list. Therefore, in the presence of a process-unlinking rootkit, windows.psscan will detect the hidden process, resulting in a higher process count compared to windows.pslist. This discrepancy is a key indicator of hidden processes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
windows.pslist will show more processes than windows.psscan because it includes terminated processes that are still in memory.
Why it's wrong here
windows.pslist enumerates processes from the active process list, which typically does not include terminated processes. Terminated processes are removed from the list, though their objects may linger until freed. windows.psscan, by scanning memory, might detect terminated processes that are not yet overwritten. Thus, windows.pslist would not show more processes in this context.
- ✓
windows.psscan will show more processes than windows.pslist because it can detect processes that have been unlinked from the active process list.
Why this is correct
windows.psscan scans physical memory for process objects using pool tag scanning, independent of the active process list. A rootkit that unlinks a process from the list will hide it from windows.pslist, but the process object may still reside in memory and be detected by windows.psscan. Therefore, windows.psscan is likely to show more processes, revealing the hidden one.
- ✗
Both plugins will show the same number of processes because they both use the same underlying data structure.
Why it's wrong here
windows.pslist and windows.psscan use different methods: windows.pslist walks the doubly linked list of EPROCESS structures, while windows.psscan scans for pool tags. They can produce different results, especially when a rootkit manipulates the list. They do not use the same data structure, so the counts can differ.
- ✗
windows.psscan will show fewer processes than windows.pslist because it relies on a linked list that the rootkit modifies.
Why it's wrong here
windows.psscan does not rely on the linked list; it scans for process objects in memory using pool tags. Therefore, it is likely to find more processes, not fewer, than windows.pslist, which walks the active process list. A rootkit that unlinks a process would cause windows.pslist to miss it, while windows.psscan might still detect it.
About these practice questions
This GCFA question is part of Courseiva's 292-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official GIAC exam blueprint
This GCFA practice question is part of Courseiva's free GIAC 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 GCFA exam.