Western Governors University (WGU) ITAS2140 D431 Digital Forensics in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

In FAT (File Allocation Table) and NTFS (New Technology File System) file systems, a table is utilized to maintain a mapping of files to the specific clusters on the disk where those files are stored.

For FAT file systems, the File Allocation Table itself serves this purpose by indicating which clusters are in use, which are free, and how files are segmented across the disk. This table effectively tracks the allocation status of each cluster, allowing the operating system to access files efficiently by following the chain of allocated clusters.

In the case of NTFS, a similar principle applies, although it employs a more complex structure. NTFS uses a Master File Table (MFT), which contains detailed information about every file and directory on the volume, including their locations. The MFT entries specify where the actual data of the file resides on the disk, allowing for quick retrieval and management of files.

Therefore, the use of a table in both of these file systems is crucial for the organization, storage, and retrieval of data, making this the correct answer to the question posed.