As part of a digital investigation, a forensic expert needs to analyze a server suspected...

This question aligns with CHFI v11 objectives under Computer Forensics Fundamentals and Digital Evidence and Storage Media . In forensic investigations involving servers suspected of hosting illicit content, investigators must focus on storage locations that reliably preserve data over time. CHFI v11 emphasizes that non-volatile storage —such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), RAID arrays, and other persistent storage media—is the primary repository for user files, documents, system files, logs, and file system metadata.

Non-volatile storage retains data even when the system is powered off, making it essential for post-incident forensic analysis. This includes directory structures, timestamps, access control lists, deleted file remnants, and application data, all of which are critical for reconstructing user activity and determining the presence and origin of illicit content.

Volatile memory (RAM) contains temporary data such as running processes and network connections, which is useful during live analysis but does not store long-term user files. External backups and network storage may contain copies of data but are secondary sources and may not reflect the system’s current state. Therefore, consistent with CHFI v11 forensic principles, the investigator should primarily focus on non-volatile storage , as it is the most reliable and comprehensive source of persistent digital evidence.