Which file stores local Windows passwords in the Windows\System32\ directory and is subject to being...

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The SAM (Security Account Manager) file located in theWindows\System32\configdirectory stores hashed local user account passwords. It can be accessed and extracted using a live CD or bootable forensic tool, which allows the forensic investigator to bypass the running operating system and avoid altering the evidence.

IPSec is related to network security policies, not password storage.

HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) is a system file managing hardware interaction.

Ntidr is a boot loader file in Windows NT systems.

Cracking password hashes extracted from the SAM file is a common forensic practice to recover user passwords during investigations.