Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

Which Volatility Framework plugin assists forensic investigators in detecting hidden or injected files, typically DLL files, in memory?

1. malfind

2. pslist

3. dllinject

4. memdump

The correct answer is: malfind

The malfind plugin in the Volatility Framework is designed specifically to assist forensic investigators in identifying malicious code that may not be visible through standard processes or files. It scans memory for hidden or injected files, particularly focusing on dynamic link libraries (DLLs) that may have been stealthily introduced into a system. This plugin works by analyzing memory structures and identifying regions that exhibit characteristics of executable code but do not have corresponding entries in the process list or file system. The capability of malfind to pinpoint these hidden DLLs is essential in digital forensic investigations, especially in instances involving malware, rootkits, or other forms of malicious injection that aim to evade detection by traditional means. By utilizing this plugin, investigators can uncover concealed threats that have the potential to compromise the integrity and security of a system. In contrast, the other plugins mentioned do not specifically target the detection of hidden or injected files. The pslist plugin focuses primarily on the enumeration of active processes, rather than identifying injected code. dllinject is not an established plugin within the framework and therefore does not serve any recognized purpose. Lastly, memdump is used for creating memory dumps, which might assist in the analysis process but does not directly identify hidden files or DLLs.