Forensic Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

Investigating a ransomware attack involves identifying the type of ransomware, analyzing the attack vector, and determining the extent of damage.

• Isolate infected systems to prevent further spread

• Identify the type of ransomware and its behavior

• Analyze the attack vector (e.g. phishing email, exploit kit)

• Determine the extent of damage and data loss

• Attempt to recover encrypted data

• Investigate any possible leads or suspects

• Report the incident to law enforcement if necessary

The different phases of Incident Response are preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned.

• Preparation: Establishing policies and procedures, training staff, and implementing security measures.

• Identification: Detecting and analyzing security incidents.

• Containment: Isolating the affected systems to prevent further damage.

• Eradication: Removing the threat and restoring systems to their normal state.

• Recovery: Verifying the integrity of the ...read more

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where attackers trick victims into revealing sensitive information.

• Phishing can be done through emails, text messages, social media, or fake websites.

• Spear phishing targets specific individuals or organizations.

• Whaling is a type of phishing that targets high-profile individuals like CEOs.

• Vishing is phishing done through phone calls.

• Smishing is phishing done through SMS or text messages.

• Pharming redirects victims to fake websites without thei...read more

A forensic image is a bit-by-bit copy of a digital device's storage media used for analysis and investigation purposes.

• Forensic images are created using specialized software and hardware tools.

• They are used to preserve the original data and prevent any changes or modifications to the original device.

• Forensic images can be analyzed to recover deleted files, identify malware, and gather evidence for legal cases.

• Examples of devices that can be imaged include hard drives, USB dri...read more

Shimcache is a Windows registry key that stores information about recently executed programs.

• Shimcache is used by forensic analysts to determine which programs were executed on a Windows system.

• It can be accessed using tools like RegRipper and Volatility.

• Shimcache can provide valuable information in malware investigations.

• It stores information such as the file path, last modified time, and execution time of programs.

• Shimcache is located in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\...read more

Data retrieval involves identifying the source, accessing the storage medium, and extracting the relevant information.

• Identify the source of the data

• Access the storage medium where the data is stored

• Extract the relevant information using appropriate tools and techniques

• Ensure the integrity of the data during retrieval process