Digital-Forensics-in-Cybersecurity Exam Dumps - WGU Courses and Certificates Questions and Answers

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

In Internet fraud investigations, computer logs are critical because they provide a record of user activity, including browsing history, downloads, and system events. These logs can help establish a timeline, identify malicious access, and confirm fraudulent transactions.

Computer logs may include browser history, system event logs, and application logs that document the victim’s interaction with the fraudulent offer.

Whois records help identify domain registration details but are secondary evidence.

Email headers are relevant if communication via email was part of the fraud but less critical than logs that show direct interaction.

Virus signatures are used in malware investigations, not directly relevant to fraud evidence collection.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Before any action on evidence, especially when seizing or processing digital devices, the forensic specialist must first carefully review and document the chain of custody (CoC) to ensure proper handling and legal compliance. This includes verifying seizure procedures and documenting the status of the device before any interaction.

Turning the computer on prematurely risks altering or destroying volatile data.

Making a forensic copy (imaging) can only happen after proper documentation and preservation steps.

Photographing the desktop is relevant only after power-on but only if approved and documented.

This process aligns with NIST guidelines (SP 800-86) and the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) principles emphasizing preservation and documentation as foundational steps.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

NTLDR (NT Loader) is the boot loader for Windows NT-based systems including Windows XP. It reads the boot.ini configuration file and displays the boot menu, initiating the boot process.

Later Windows versions (Vista and above) replaced NTLDR with BOOTMGR.

Understanding boot components assists forensic investigators in boot process analysis.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Windows stores the hashes of local user account passwords in the SAM (Security Account Manager) file, which is located in theWindows\System32\configdirectory. This file is a critical component in the Windows security infrastructure.

The registry paths in A and B refer to network profiles and wireless configuration data, unrelated to password storage.

The "Security" file also resides in theSystem32\configfolder but stores security policy data rather than password hashes.

The SAM file stores password hashes and is targeted in forensic investigations for credential recovery.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

On Apple iOS devices, deleted files are often moved to a hidden Trash folder before permanent deletion. The directory/.Trashes/501is a hidden folder where deleted files for user ID 501 (the first user created on macOS/iOS devices) are temporarily stored.

This folder can contain files marked for deletion and thus is a prime location for recovery attempts.

/lost+foundis a directory commonly used on Unix/Linux file systems for recovered file fragments after file system corruption but is not the default trash location on iOS.

/Private/etcand/etccontain system configuration files, not deleted user files.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

In digital forensics, the use of reliable, validated, and widely accepted tools and techniques is critical to maintain the integrity and admissibility of digital evidence. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines and the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) standards, any forensic process must utilize methods that are recognized by the forensic community and have undergone rigorous testing to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Using validated tools helps prevent evidence contamination or loss and ensures that results can withstand legal scrutiny.

While proper seizure and witnessing are important, the priority in the extraction phase is to use appropriate, trusted tools.

Downloading tools from unauthorized or suspicious sources can compromise the evidence and is not an ethical or legal practice.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Steganography is the technique of hiding information within another file, message, image, or medium to conceal the existence of the information itself. It differs from encryption in that the data is hidden, not just scrambled.

Steganalysis is the detection or analysis of hidden data.

Encryption and cryptography involve scrambling data but do not inherently hide its existence.

NIST and digital forensics guidelines define steganography as the art of concealed writing or data hiding, used by criminals to evade detection.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

XRY is a commercial forensic tool specifically designed to extract data from mobile devices, including Apple iPhones. It has capabilities to bypass or work around iOS passcodes under certain conditions to acquire data for forensic analysis.

iStumbler is a Wi-Fi scanning tool.

Ophcrack and LOphtCrack are password cracking tools for Windows systems, not mobile devices.

XRY is widely referenced in digital forensics training and NIST mobile device forensic guidelines as a leading tool for iOS data extraction.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) regulates interception and recording of electronic communications and generally requires the consent of both parties involved in a conversation for legal recordings.

This consent requirement protects privacy rights during investigations.

Non-compliance can lead to evidence being inadmissible or legal penalties.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

On 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems (including Windows 7), 32-bit applications are installed by default into the folderC:\Program Files (x86). This separation allows the OS to distinguish between 64-bit and 32-bit applications and apply appropriate system calls and redirection.

C:\Program Filesis reserved for native 64-bit applications.

C:\ProgramDatacontains application data shared across users.

C:\Windowscontains system files, not program installations.

This structure is documented in Microsoft Windows Internals and Windows Forensics guides, including official NIST guidelines on Windows forensic investigations.