Computer Forensics Midterm Guide

53. What's a hashing algorithm?

A program designed to create a binary or hexadecimal number that represents the uniqueness of a data set, file, or entire disk

41. What are two advantages and disadvantages of the raw format?

Advantages: faster data transfer speeds, ignores minor data errors, and most forensics analysis tools can read it. Disadvantages: requires equal or greater target disk space, doesn't contain hash values in the raw file (metadata), might have to run a separate hash program to validate raw format data, and might not collect marginal (bad) blocks.

71. List two features NTFS has that FAT does not.

Answers can include Unicode characters, security, and journaling.

42. List two features common with proprietary format acquisition files.

Can compress or not compress the acquisition data; can segment acquisition output files into smaller volumes, allowing them to be archived to CD or DVD; case metadata can be added to the acquisition file, eliminating the need to keep track of any additional validation documentation or files

20. What do you call a list of people who have had physical possession of the evidence?

Chain of custody

13. Describe what should be videotaped or sketched at a digital crime scene.

Computers, mobile devices, cable connections, overview of scene—anything that might be of interest to the investigation

27. List two popular certification programs for digital forensics.

Correct answers include IACIS, CFCE, CCFP, HTCN, EnCE, ACE, ISFCE, and CCE.

12. What are some ways to determine the resources needed for an investigation?

Determine the OS of the suspect computer and list the software needed for the examination.

49. When you perform an acquisition at a remote location what should you consider to prepare for this task?

Determine whether there's enough electrical power and lighting, and check the temperature and humidity at the location.

58. Which forensics tools can connect to a suspect's remote computer and run surreptitiously?

EnCase Enterprise and ProDiscover Incident Response

44. Name two commercial tools that can make a forensic sector-by-sector duplicate of a drive to a larger drive.

EnCase and X-Ways Forensics

34. Evidence storage containers should have several master keys. True or False?

False

35. A forensic workstation should always have a direct broadband connection to the Internet. True or False?

False

5. The plain view doctrine in computer searches is well-established law. True or False?

False

60. FTK Imager can acquire data in a drive's host protected area. True or False?

False

63. Zone bit recording is how manufacturers ensure that the outer tracks store as much data as possible. True or False?

False

8. List two types of digital investigations typically conducted in a business environment.

Fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, espionage, and e-mail harassment

19. You have been called to the scene of a fatal car crash where a laptop computer is still running. What type of field kit should you take with you?

Initial-response field kit

7. What are the three rules for a forensic hash?

It can't be predicted, no two files can have the same hash value, and if the file changes, the hash value changes.

75. What's a virtual cluster number?

It represents the assigned clusters of files that are nonresident in the MFT. If a file has become fragmented, it can have two or more VCNs. The first VCN for a nonresident file is listed as 0.

36. Which organization provides good information on safe storage containers?

NISPOM

26. What items should your business plan include?

Physical security items, such as evidence lockers; how many machines are needed; what OSs your lab commonly examines; why you need certain software; and how your lab will benefit the company (such as being able to quickly exonerate employees or discover whether they're guilty).

39. What's the main goal of a static acquisition?

Preservation of digital evidence

15. Commingling evidence means what in a private-sector setting?

Sensitive or confidential information being mixed with data collected as evidence

47. What should you consider when determining which data acquisition method to use?

Size of the source drive, whether the source drive is retained as evidence, how long the acquisition will take, and where the disk evidence is located

6. List two items that should appear on a warning banner.

Statements that the organization has the right to monitor what users do, that their e-mail is not personal, and so on

69. In FAT32 a 123 KB file uses how many sectors?

The answer is 246 sectors. 123 x 1024 bytes per KB = 125,952 total bytes in the file. 125,952 bytes / 512 sectors per cluster = 246 sectors

68. What does the Ntuser.dat file contain?

This user-protected storage area contains the MRU files list and desktop configuration settings.

4. What's the purpose of maintaining a network of digital forensics specialists?

To develop a list of colleagues who specialize in areas different from your own specialties in case you need help on an investigation.

48. Why is it a good practice to make two images of a suspect drive in a critical investigation?

To ensure at least one good copy of the forensically collected data in case of any failures

14. Why should you do a standard risk assessment to prepare for an investigation?

To list problems that might happen when conducting an investigation, which can help in planning your case

28. Why is physical security so critical for digital forensics labs?

To maintain the chain of custody and prevent data from being lost, corrupted, or stolen

17. Why should evidence media be write-protected?

To make sure data isn't altered

10. When you arrive at the scene why should you extract only those items you need to acquire evidence?

To minimize how much you have to keep track of at the scene

59. EnCase & FTK & SMART and iLookIX treat the image file as though it were the original disk. True or False?

True

73. In NTFS files smaller than 512 bytes are stored in the MFT. True or False?

True

80. An image of a suspect drive can be loaded on a virtual machine. True or False?

True

8. In forensic hashes when does a collision occur?

When two different files have the same hash value

7. Under normal circumstances

a private-sector investigator is considered an agent of law enforcement. True or False?,False

57. With remote acquisitions what problems should you be aware of? (Choose all that apply.)

a. Data transfer speeds b. Access permissions over the network c. Antivirus, antispyware, and firewall programs

81. EFS can encrypt which of the following?

a. Files, folders, and volumes

14. Which of the following techniques might be used in covert surveillance? (Choose all that apply.)

a. Keylogging b. Data sniffing

24. The manager of a digital forensics lab is responsible for which of the following? (Choose all that apply.)

a. Making necessary changes in lab procedures and software b. Ensuring that staff members have enough training to do the job c. Knowing the lab objectives

1. Private-sector investigations are typically easier than law enforcement investigations for which of the following reasons?

a. Most companies keep inventory databases of all hardware and software used.

70. What is the space on a drive called when a file is deleted? (Choose all that apply.)

b. Unallocated space d. Free space

22. Building a business case can involve which of the following?

d. All of the above

46. What does a sparse acquisition collect for an investigation?

fragments of unallocated data in addition to the logical allocated data

54. In the Linux dcfldd command which three options are used for validating data?

hash, hashlog, and vf

31. Large digital forensics labs should have at least ______ exits.

two

65. Clusters in Windows always begin numbering at what number?

2

55. What's the maximum file size when writing data to a FAT32 drive?

2 GB (a limitation of FAT file systems)

11. What are the necessary components of a search warrant?

A search warrant must specify who, what, when, and where—that is, specifics on place, time, items being searched for, and so forth—and include any supporting materials (affidavits and exhibits, for example). In addition, a search warrant must be signed by an impartial judicial officer. In many cases, a search warrant can limit the scope of what can be seized.

37. Which organization has guidelines on how to operate a digital forensics lab?

ASCLD

56. What are two concerns when acquiring data from a RAID server?

Amount of data storage needed, type of RAID server (0, 1, 5, and so on), whether the acquisition tool can handle RAID acquisitions, whether the analysis tool can handle RAID data, and whether the analysis tool can split RAID data into separate disk drives, making it easier to distribute large data sets

18. List three items that should be in your case report.

Answers can include an explanation of basic computer and network processes, a narrative of what steps you took, a description of your findings, and log files generated from your analysis tools.

67. List three items stored in the FAT database.

Answers can include file and directory names, starting cluster numbers, file attributes, and date and time stamps.

9. List three items that should be in an initial-response field kit.

Answers can include small computer toolkit, large-capacity drive, IDE ribbon cables, forensic boot media, laptop IDE 40-to-44 pin adapter, laptop or portable computer, FireWire or USB dual write-protect external bay, flashlight, digital camera or 35mm camera, evidence log forms, notebook or dictation recorder, evidence bags (antistatic bags for digital devices), evidence labels, tape, tags, permanent ink marker, USB drives, or large portable hard drive

13. List three items that should be on an evidence custody form.

Answers include case number, name of the investigator assigned to the case, nature of the case, location where evidence was obtained, description of the evidence, and so on.

83. What are the functions of a data run's field components in an MFT record?

Data runs have three components; the first declares how many bytes are required in the attribute field to store the number of bytes needed for the second and third components. The second component stores the number of clusters assigned to the data run, and the third component contains the starting cluster address value (the LCN or the VCN).

43. Of all the proprietary formats which one is the unofficial standard?

Expert Witness, used by Guidance Software EnCase

1. Digital forensics and data recovery refer to the same activities. True or False?

False

15. You should always prove the allegations made by the person who hired you. True or False?

False

17. Small companies rarely need investigators. True or False?

False

20. You should always answer questions from onlookers at a crime scene. True or False?

False

23. The ANAB mandates the procedures established for a digital forensics lab. True or False?

False

29. If a visitor to your digital forensics lab is a personal friend it's not necessary to have him or her sign the visitor's log. True or False?

False

33. Digital forensics facilities always have windows. True or False?

False

77. Device drivers contain what kind of information?

Instructions for the OS on how to interface with hardware devices

16. List two hashing algorithms commonly used for forensics purposes.

MD5 and SHA-1

72. What does MFT stand for?

Master File Table

50. With newer Linux kernel distributions what happens if you connect a hot-swappable device such a USB drive containing evidence?

Newer Linux distributions automatically mount the USB device, which could alter data on it.

74. In Windows 7 and later how much data from RAM is loaded into RAM slack on a disk drive?

No data from RAM is copied to RAM slack on a disk drive.

9. What is professional conduct and why is it important?

Professional conduct includes ethics, morals, and standards of behavior. It affects a professional's credibility.

40. Name the three formats for digital forensics data acquisitions.

Raw format, proprietary formats, and Advanced Forensic Format (AFF)

30. What three items should you research before enlisting in a certification program?

Requirements, cost, and acceptability in your chosen area of employment

38. What name refers to labs constructed to shield EMR emissions?

TEMPEST

19. Why should you critique your case after it's finished?

To improve your work

76. Why was EFI boot firmware developed?

To provide better protection against malware than BIOS does

10. What's the purpose of an affidavit?

To provide facts in support of evidence of a crime to submit to a judge when requesting a search warrant

11.Computer peripherals or attachments can contain DNA evidence. True or False?

True

16. For digital evidence an evidence bag is typically made of antistatic material. True or False?

True

18. If a company doesn't distribute a computing use policy stating an employer's right to inspect employees' computers freely including e-mail and Web use employees have an expectation of privacy. True or False?

True

2. In the United States if a company publishes a policy stating that it reserves the right to inspect computing assets at will a private-sector investigator can conduct covert surveillance on an employee with little cause. True or False?

True

21. An employer can be held liable for e-mail harassment. True or False?

True

3. If you discover a criminal act while investigating a company policy abuse the case becomes a criminal investigation and should be referred to law enforcement. True or False?

True

25. To determine the types of operating systems needed in your lab list two sources of information you could use.

Uniform Crime Report statistics for your area and a list of cases handled in your area or at your company

12. If a suspect computer is running Windows 10 which of the following can you perform safely?

a. Browsing open applications

6. If a suspect's computer is found in an area that might have toxic chemicals you must do which of the following? (Choose all that apply.)

a. Coordinate with the HAZMAT team. c. Assume the suspect's computer is contaminated.

4. As a private-sector investigator you can become an agent of law enforcement when which of the following happens? (Choose all that apply.)

a. You begin to take orders from a police detective without a warrant or subpoena. b. Your internal investigation has concluded, and you have filed a criminal complaint and turned over the evidence to law enforcement.

61. On a Windows system sectors typically contain how many bytes?

b. 512

2. Police in the United States must use procedures that adhere to which of the following?

b. Fourth Amendment

78. Which of the following Windows 8 files contains user-specific information?

b. Ntuser.dat

66. How many sectors are typically in a cluster on a disk drive?

c. 4 or more

64. Areal density refers to which of the following?

c. Number of bits per square inch of a disk platter

82. What happens when you copy an encrypted file from an EFS-enabled NTFS disk to a non-EFS disk or folder?

c. The file is unencrypted automatically.

79. Virtual machines have which of the following limitations when running on a host computer?

c. Virtual machines are limited to the host computer's peripheral configurations, such as mouse, keyboard, CD/DVD drives, and other devices.

3. The triad of computing security includes which of the following?

c. Vulnerability/threat assessment, intrusion detection and incident response, and digital investigation

62. What does CHS stand for?

cylinders, heads, sectors

5. Policies can address rules for which of the following?

d. Any of the above

51. In Linux the fdisk -l command lists the suspect drive as /dev/hda1. Is the following dcfldd command correct?

dcfldd if=image_file.img of=/dev/hda1 No. This command reads the image_file.img file and writes it to the evidence drive's /dev/hda1 partition. The correct command is dcfldd if=/dev/hda1 of=image_file.img.

45. What does a logical acquisition collect for an investigation?

only specific files of interest to the case

32. Typically a(n) ____________ lab has a separate storage area or room for evidence.

regional

52. What's the most critical aspect of digital evidence?

validation