You are a leading forensic investigator at a global cybersecurity firm.

Option C is the best answer because malware analysis should be performed in a controlled and isolated environment that prevents the sample from escaping, spreading, or communicating freely with production systems. In CHFI malware forensics, investigators are expected to understand the importance of a malware analysis lab , including sandboxing, network isolation, and controlled monitoring of system and traffic behavior.

A dedicated isolated network segment allows the examiner to watch how the malware behaves while keeping the main corporate network protected. Using a traffic monitoring tool within that isolated environment helps reveal command-and-control attempts, download behavior, beaconing, DNS lookups, or other suspicious actions. This is the safest and most informative approach.

The other options are dangerous or inappropriate. Connecting the infected server to a public network increases risk. Running the malware inside the main network is unsafe. Turning the infected server into a honeypot is not a sound first response for this scenario. Therefore, the correct CHFI-aligned answer is to use an isolated analysis environment with monitored traffic .