What is a key consideration for investigators when creating a testbed for malware analysis?

Creating a testbed for malware analysis involves several key considerations to ensure that the environment is both safe and effective for examining malicious code. Installing a virtual machine, such as VMware or Hyper-V, is crucial because it allows investigators to isolate the malware from the host machine and other systems. This isolation is important to prevent the malware from spreading or causing damage while under analysis.

Virtual machines provide a controlled environment where different operating system configurations and snapshots can easily be set up and reverted. As malware can behave differently depending on the operating system and settings, the flexibility of a virtual environment allows for comprehensive testing without risking the integrity or security of physical machines. Investigators can also take advantage of features like network isolation and the ability to restore previous snapshots should the analysis lead to unwanted system changes.

The other options would not be suitable for creating an effective testbed. Removing all antivirus software does not create a safe analysis environment; physical environments can expose other systems to risk; and using outdated operating systems could prevent the investigation of malware that targets newer vulnerabilities or uses modern functionalities.