In forensic investigations, what does boot analysis involve?

Boot analysis is a critical component of forensic investigations as it focuses specifically on the boot process of a computer system. This process includes procedures and configurations that dictate how the system starts up, and alterations or anomalies in this sequence can indicate malicious activity or tampering.

By examining the boot process, forensic investigators look for any unauthorized changes or malware that might have been introduced. This can include modifications to the boot loader, changes in system files that affect how the operating system loads, or the presence of rootkits that infect the system at startup. Such findings are key to understanding the security posture of a system and to identifying potential intrusions or compromises.

Other choices may relate to aspects of forensic investigations but do not specifically address boot analysis. Inspecting system hardware focuses on the physical components rather than the software state. Analyzing user accounts is concerned with access and permissions rather than the initial system load. Monitoring network traffic investigates data movement across networks, which is separate from boot procedures. Thus, option B is the most relevant choice concerning boot analysis within the context of forensic investigations.