: Hardcoded Command & Control (C2) addresses found in process memory.

In these specific training sets, analysts are usually looking for:

: Prefetch files or Shellbags that show which programs the "suspect" executed.

Use tools like file (Linux) or to identify the extracted file type (e.g., a .raw memory dump or a .vmdk virtual disk). Artifact Extraction :

Calculate the MD5 or SHA-256 hash of the .7z file before and after extraction to ensure the evidence hasn't been tampered with. :

: If it's a memory dump, use Volatility 3 to list running processes ( windows.pslist ), network connections ( windows.netscan ), or injected code ( windows.malfind ).

While the exact contents can vary based on the specific version of the challenge, archives following this naming convention (e.g., w_bm_s_03 ) usually represent a or a Disk Image segment. Prefix ( w ) : Often denotes a Windows-based system.

Decompress the archive (some challenge files require a password, often provided in the challenge description or "infected"). :