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GCIA · Question #2

Adam works as a professional Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator. He wants to investigate a suspicious email that is sent using a Microsoft Exchange server. Which of the following files will he…

The correct answer is A. Checkpoint files B. EDB and STM database files C. Temporary files. Forensic investigation of a Microsoft Exchange server requires reviewing checkpoint files, EDB and STM database files, and temporary files because these collectively contain transaction history, mailbox data, and transient processing artifacts.

Advanced Windows Artifacts & Browser Forensics

Question

Adam works as a professional Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator. He wants to investigate a suspicious email that is sent using a Microsoft Exchange server. Which of the following files will he review to accomplish the task? Each correct answer represents a part of the solution. Choose all that apply.

Options

  • ACheckpoint files
  • BEDB and STM database files
  • CTemporary files
  • Dcookie files

How the community answered

(51 responses)
  • A
    82% (42)
  • D
    18% (9)

Why each option

Forensic investigation of a Microsoft Exchange server requires reviewing checkpoint files, EDB and STM database files, and temporary files because these collectively contain transaction history, mailbox data, and transient processing artifacts.

ACheckpoint filesCorrect

Checkpoint files record which transaction log files have been committed to the Exchange database, providing investigators a timeline of database state changes critical for reconstructing events.

BEDB and STM database filesCorrect

EDB files hold all mailbox and public folder data while STM files store native internet-format message content, making them the primary evidence sources for email forensics on an Exchange server.

CTemporary filesCorrect

Temporary files created by Exchange during message processing may retain fragments of messages or metadata not yet flushed to the primary database, yielding additional forensic artifacts.

Dcookie files

Cookie files are client-side browser artifacts stored on end-user machines and have no relationship to Exchange server-side email storage or transaction logs.

Concept tested: Microsoft Exchange server forensic file artifacts

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/architecture/mailbox-servers/managed-availability

Topics

#Exchange server#email forensics#EDB files#checkpoint files

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