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Graded Quiz: Digital Forensics :Incident Response and Digital Forensics (IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate) Answers 2025

1. Question 1 — What data is gathered in cloud forensics?

  • ❌ Running processes and encryption keys

  • Access logs, virtual machine snapshots, and storage contents

  • ❌ Deleted files from free/slack space

  • ❌ GPS locations

Explanation:
Cloud forensics relies heavily on provider logs, snapshots, and cloud storage artifacts.


2. Question 2 — Why is memory forensics crucial?

  • It helps detect malware that only runs in RAM.

  • ❌ Reveals exact attack origin

  • ❌ Recovers deleted files

  • ❌ Provides metadata

Explanation:
Advanced malware (fileless malware) exists only in volatile memory, making RAM analysis essential.


3. Question 3 — What is recoverable from free space?

  • ❌ Corrupted system files

  • Fragments of deleted files not overwritten

  • ❌ Entire deleted files

  • ❌ Permanently deleted files

Explanation:
Deleted files remain recoverable until overwritten; only fragments typically remain in free space.


4. Question 4 — Imaging vs logical backup?

  • ❌ Logical backups are bit-for-bit

  • ❌ Logical backups are for legal reasons

  • ❌ Imaging is faster

  • Imaging captures free + slack space; logical backups do not

Explanation:
Disk imaging collects all sectors, including deleted data; logical backups only capture active files.


5. Question 5 — Primary goal of DFIR

  • ❌ Delay evidence collection

  • Stop threats while preserving evidence

  • ❌ Respond only after evidence collected

  • ❌ Prevent incidents before they happen

Explanation:
DFIR balances incident containment with evidence integrity.


6. Question 6 — Purpose of chain of custody

  • ❌ Ensure only computer data analyzed

  • ❌ Avoid physical evidence contamination

  • ❌ Speed up investigation

  • Maintain integrity and trustworthiness of digital evidence

Explanation:
Chain of custody ensures evidence is verifiable and admissible.


7. Question 7 — Technique using live systems

  • Live analysis

  • ❌ Data carving

  • ❌ Disk imaging

  • ❌ Reverse steganography

Explanation:
Live analysis captures volatile data such as RAM, running processes, and active network sessions.


8. Question 8 — MAC Data meaning

  • Modification, Access, Creation times — helps create a timeline

  • ❌ Media Access Control

  • ❌ Multiple Access Connections

  • ❌ Mainframe/Access/Configuration

Explanation:
MAC timestamps build chronological evidence of user activity.


9. Question 9 — Why gather cloud data after a breach?

  • ❌ Cloud data irrelevant

  • ❌ Cloud needs no security

  • ❌ Only local devices matter

  • Helps identify unauthorized access and track data movement

Explanation:
Cloud logs reveal who accessed what, when, and how.


10. Question 10 — Why communication is crucial during reporting

  • ❌ Analysts work alone

  • They must explain technical findings to non-technical stakeholders

  • ❌ They write scientific papers

  • ❌ They need to sell findings

Explanation:
Reports must be clear, actionable, and understandable by leadership, legal teams, etc.


🧾 Summary Table

Q Correct Answer Key Concept
1 Logs, snapshots, storage Cloud forensics data
2 Detect RAM-only malware Memory forensics
3 Deleted fragments Free-space recovery
4 Imaging captures slack/free Imaging vs logical
5 Stop threats + preserve evidence DFIR
6 Evidence integrity Chain of custody
7 Live analysis Running-system forensics
8 Modification/Access/Creation MAC timestamps
9 Track unauthorized access Cloud evidence
10 Explain to non-technical Reporting clarity