A security analyst is investigating a potential breach and needs to verify the integrity of system files. The analyst has a list of known good hash values for the files but finds that the current hash value of 'file.exe' does not match its corresponding known good hash value. Which of the following is the MOST likely explanation for this discrepancy?
The hashing algorithm used to verify 'file.exe' has been updated to a new version causing inconsistency with previous results.
The file has been modified, potentially due to a malware infection or unauthorized alteration.
There was a transmission error when the hash value was calculated.
The list of known good hash values contains errors and needs to be updated.
When the hash value of a file does not match its known good hash, it generally indicates that the file has been altered. Alterations could be due to an update or patch, malicious activity, or file corruption. However, given that this is a security investigation context, the observation raises the suspicion of potential tampering or infection by malware which is often why integrity checks using hashing are performed. Other options such as transmission errors or hashing algorithm inconsistencies are less likely in this scenario since the focus is on system files that are not typically transmitted over the network and the hashing algorithm is assumed to be a constant.
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What are hash values and why are they important in security?
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What are the common hashing algorithms used in cybersecurity?
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What steps should be taken if a file's hash value indicates it has been modified?