Which NTFS system file stores metadata for all files, including malicious events?

The Master File Table, represented as $MFT, is central to the NTFS file system and serves a critical role in managing files and directories on the disk. It contains metadata for every file and directory stored on the volume, including details like file size, creation and modification dates, access permissions, and location on disk. Importantly, this metadata can also capture events that pertain to file access and modifications, which may include malicious activities.

The $MFT's comprehensive logging capabilities make it invaluable in forensics investigations. For instance, if a malicious file is created or modified, the corresponding entries in the $MFT would reflect those changes, enabling forensic analysts to trace back the activities related to that file. This provides crucial insights into how the incident occurred and what files were involved.

The other choices represent different types of NTFS metadata files, but they do not encompass the complete scope of file metadata like the $MFT does. For instance, $logfile is primarily used for logging transactions to maintain file system integrity, $bitmap relates to space management by tracking used and free clusters, and $attrdef holds definitions for attribute types; none of these files store comprehensive metadata for all files, including tracking of malicious events, as $MFT