hardMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: A security operations center (SOC) analyst is…
A security operations center (SOC) analyst is investigating an alert about a user downloading a suspicious file. The analyst opens the file on a sandboxed virtual machine and observes that it attempts to modify registry keys and establish persistence. This type of analysis is known as:
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between dynamic and static analysis, and the trap here is that candidates may confuse 'reverse engineering' (which includes both static and dynamic methods) with the specific act of executing a file to observe behavior, leading them to select reverse engineering instead of the more precise dynamic analysis.
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
✓
Dynamic analysis
Dynamic analysis involves executing a suspicious file in a controlled environment, such as a sandboxed virtual machine, to observe its runtime behavior. In this scenario, the analyst runs the file and directly observes registry modifications and persistence mechanisms, which are characteristic of dynamic analysis. This approach captures actual system interactions that static analysis cannot reveal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Dynamic analysis
Why this is correct
Dynamic analysis executes the sample in an isolated sandbox and observes its runtime behaviour, such as registry modification and persistence mechanisms. This directly satisfies the stem's constraint: the analyst opened the file on a sandboxed virtual machine and watched what it did, rather than inspecting static code without execution.
- ✗
Static analysis
Why it's wrong here
Static analysis examines file contents, strings and headers without executing the sample, so registry modification and persistence cannot be observed that way. It tempts because static analysis is the correct first-pass triage technique when you need indicators quickly without risking execution.
- ✗
Reverse engineering
Why it's wrong here
Reverse engineering disassembles or decompiles code to reconstruct its logic, whereas this scenario only observes runtime behaviour in a sandbox. It tempts because reverse engineering is the right choice when you must understand obfuscated code or derive detection signatures from a binary's internals.
- ✗
Threat hunting
Why it's wrong here
Threat hunting is a proactive search for undetected adversaries across the estate, not the execution of one sample in an isolated virtual machine. It tempts because hunting is correct when no alert exists and analysts proactively query telemetry for indicators of compromise.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Security Operations Basics
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
Key term
SOC
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team that monitors, detects, analyzes, and responds to cybersecurity incidents to protect an organization's information systems.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.