SANS 500 Exam (2025/2026) – 95 Verified Questions and Answers | Digital Forensics, NTFS, Memory Analysis

This document provides a fully updated, exam-focused study guide for students and professionals preparing for the SANS 500: Windows Forensics and Incident Response exam for the 2025/2026 academic year. It includes 95 multiple-choice questions and correct answers, offering deep coverage of core digital forensic principles, tools, and investigative procedures. The questions are structured to support mastery of high-priority topics essential for cybersecurity, forensics, and incident response roles, such as: Analysis of digital evidence and metadata interpretation Creation and application of Digital Investigative Plans (DIP) Use of forensic tools including Arsenal Image Mounter, DumpIT, KAPE, and Encrypted Disk Detector Windows file system forensics, including NTFS file structures ($MFT, $Logfile, $USN Journal) Understanding volatile vs. non-volatile data (, , RAM dumps) NTFS artifact and registry hive interpretation (SAM, SYSTEM, NTUSER.DAT, etc.) Volume Shadow Copies, Alternate Data Streams (ADS), Zone.Identifier flags Power states (S0–S5, G3), system event logging, and persistence mechanisms Basic and advanced memory acquisition, triage imaging, and file carving (e.g., PhotoRec) Data recovery principles, cluster allocation, and forensic integrity This study material is highly beneficial for: Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics students IT professionals preparing for GIAC or SANS certifications Computer Science students specializing in system security or digital investigations Incident responders, SOC analysts, and penetration testers It is an ideal resource for practical and theoretical exam preparation, lab exercises, and real-world forensic workflows. The structured format ensures learners gain both foundational and advanced knowledge aligned with professional standards. Keywords: SANS 500, Windows Forensics, digital evidence, NTFS forensics, $MFT, KAPE, volatile data, RAM acquisition, Arsenal Image Mounter, encrypted disk detection, registry hives, ADS, Volume Shadow Copy, , , file carving, forensic imaging, DumpIT, forensic tools, incident response, DIP, metadata analysis, Zone.Identifier, ShadowExplorer