GCIH Endpoint Attack and Pivoting Practice Question
An incident handler is analyzing a Windows endpoint where an adversary successfully executed a living-off-the-land binary (LotLB) to establish an unauthorized tunnel and pivot deeper into the internal network. Which TWO forensic artifacts should the analyst examine to reconstruct the command-line arguments and parent-child process creation chain associated with this execution? (Choose TWO)
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates frequently select the Windows Firewall logs or Application event logs, forgetting that process lineage and command-line execution parameters are strictly managed by the kernel process creation APIs and security auditing subsystems.
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 Security Event Log ID 4688 with advanced command-line auditing enabled
Reconstructing process execution lineages requires capturing volatile process trees and detailed argument strings. Windows Security Event Log ID 4688, when command-line auditing is enabled, records the exact parameters passed to binaries. Additionally, memory analysis tools inspect unswapped physical RAM to recover remnants of terminated process execution blocks, making these two sources vital for handling advanced adversary tradecraft.
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 Security Event Log ID 4688 with advanced command-line auditing enabled
Why this is correct
Event ID 4688 records process creation details, including user context and exact command-line arguments, provided the appropriate Group Policy setting is active. This makes it a primary source for identifying living-off-the-land binaries and their execution parameters.
- ✗
Windows System Event Log ID 7045 tracking installed services
Why it's wrong here
Event ID 7045 logs newly installed Windows services rather than transient command-line executions or process creation chains. While useful for service-based persistence analysis, it does not capture standard interactive process execution lineages or arguments.
- ✓
Volatile memory dumps analyzed with volatility plugins such as pslist, pstree, and cmdline
Why this is correct
Memory analysis provides deep visibility into process trees, hidden processes, and unallocated command-line blocks that may have been cleared from disk or logs. Plugins like pstree and cmdline directly map parent-child relationships and execution parameters.
- ✗
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) operational logs
Why it's wrong here
DHCP operational logs track IP address leases and client identifier associations on the network. They provide network context but contain no visibility into local endpoint process execution, parent-child relationships, or command-line parameters.
- ✗
Internet Information Services (IIS) W3C web server access logs
Why it's wrong here
IIS logs record HTTP web requests directed at local web server instances. They are essential for investigating web shell deployment and application layer attacks, but irrelevant for tracking local command-line executions and process trees.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every GCIH question from scratch — 322 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or 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 GCIH 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 GCIH exam.