--- name: performing-endpoint-forensics-investigation-d5205ee895ec description: 'Performs digital forensics investigation on compromised endpoints including memory acquisition, disk imaging, artifact analysis, and timeline reconstruction. Use when investigating security incidents, collecting evidence for legal proceedings, or analyzing endpoint compromise scope. Activates for requests involving endpoint forensics, memory analysis, disk forensics, or incident investigation. ' domain: cybersecurity subdomain: endpoint-security tags: - endpoint - forensics - memory-analysis - disk-imaging - incident-investigation - Volatility version: 1.0.0 author: Krishna Kumar (xalgord) license: Apache-2.0 nist_csf: - PR.PS-01 - PR.PS-02 - DE.CM-01 - PR.IR-01 --- # Performing Endpoint Forensics Investigation ## When to Use Use this skill when: - Investigating a confirmed or suspected endpoint compromise requiring forensic analysis - Collecting volatile and non-volatile evidence for incident response or legal proceedings - Analyzing memory dumps for malware, injected code, or credential theft artifacts - Reconstructing attacker timelines from endpoint artifacts (prefetch, shimcache, amcache) **Do not use** this skill for live threat hunting (use EDR/SIEM) or network forensics. ## Detection Gaps & Validation - **Anti-forensics erases the obvious artifacts:** attackers run `wevtutil cl`, clear `$UsnJrnl` (`fsutil usn deletejournal`), timestomp via `SetFileTime`, or delete Prefetch. Don't conclude "no activity" from an empty log — corroborate with sources they rarely clean: `$MFT` `$SI` vs `$FN` timestamp mismatches (timestomping tell), `$LogFile`, SRUM, AmCache/ShimCache (survive file deletion), and memory. - **Memory-only / fileless misses:** PowerShell `-enc`, reflective DLL injection, and process hollowing leave little on disk. Always acquire RAM first and run `windows.malfind`, `windows.cmdline`, and `windows.netscan`; absence of a binary on disk is not absence of compromise. - **Single-artifact conclusions:** Prefetch proves execution but a missing Prefetch entry doesn't prove non-execution (disabled on SSDs/servers, or deleted). Cross-corroborate execution across Prefetch + AmCache + ShimCache + Security 4688 + Sysmon 1 before ruling in or out. - **Timestamp/timezone drift:** mixing UTC and local-time artifacts builds a false timeline. Normalize everything to UTC in plaso and confirm system timezone (SYSTEM hive) before sequencing events. - **Validation:** verify image integrity (acquisition hash == verification hash) before analysis, and confirm a known event you can ground-truth (e.g., the responder's own logon) appears correctly in the super timeline before trusting attacker-event placement. ## Prerequisites - Forensic workstation with analysis tools (Volatility 3, KAPE, Autopsy, Eric Zimmerman tools) - Write-blocker for disk imaging (hardware or software) - Secure evidence storage with chain-of-custody documentation - Memory acquisition tool (WinPMEM, FTK Imager, Magnet RAM Capture) - Administrative access to the target endpoint (or physical access) ## Workflow ### Step 1: Evidence Preservation (Order of Volatility) Collect evidence from most volatile to least volatile: ``` 1. System memory (RAM) - Most volatile 2. Network connections and routing tables 3. Running processes and open files 4. Disk contents (file system) 5. Removable media 6. Logs and backup data - Least volatile ``` **Memory Acquisition**: ```powershell # WinPMEM (Windows) winpmem_mini_x64.exe memdump.raw # FTK Imager - Create memory capture via GUI # File → Capture Memory → Destination path → Capture Memory # Linux (LiME kernel module) sudo insmod lime.ko "path=/evidence/memory.lime format=lime" ``` **Volatile Data Collection**: ```powershell # Capture running processes Get-Process | Export-Csv "evidence\processes.csv" -NoTypeInformation tasklist /v > "evidence\tasklist.txt" # Capture network connections netstat -anob > "evidence\netstat.txt" Get-NetTCPConnection | Export-Csv "evidence\tcp_connections.csv" # Capture logged-on users query user > "evidence\logged_users.txt" # Capture scheduled tasks schtasks /query /fo CSV /v > "evidence\scheduled_tasks.csv" # Capture services Get-Service | Export-Csv "evidence\services.csv" # Capture DNS cache ipconfig /displaydns > "evidence\dns_cache.txt" ``` ### Step 2: Disk Imaging ```powershell # FTK Imager - Create forensic disk image # File → Create Disk Image → Physical Drive → E01 format # Always verify image hash (MD5/SHA1) matches source # dd (Linux) sudo dc3dd if=/dev/sda of=/evidence/disk.dd hash=sha256 log=/evidence/imaging.log # Verify image integrity sha256sum /evidence/disk.dd # Compare with hash generated during imaging ``` ### Step 3: Memory Analysis with Volatility 3 ```bash # Identify OS profile vol -f memdump.raw windows.info # List running processes vol -f memdump.raw windows.pslist vol -f memdump.raw windows.pstree # Find hidden processes vol -f memdump.raw windows.psscan # Analyze network connections vol -f memdump.raw windows.netscan # Detect process injection vol -f memdump.raw windows.malfind # Extract command line arguments vol -f memdump.raw windows.cmdline # Analyze DLLs loaded by processes vol -f memdump.raw windows.dlllist --pid 1234 # Extract files from memory vol -f memdump.raw windows.filescan | grep -i "suspicious" vol -f memdump.raw windows.dumpfiles --pid 1234 # Detect credential theft vol -f memdump.raw windows.hashdump vol -f memdump.raw windows.lsadump # Registry analysis from memory vol -f memdump.raw windows.registry.printkey --key "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" ``` ### Step 4: Windows Artifact Analysis ``` Key forensic artifacts and their tools: Prefetch Files (C:\Windows\Prefetch\): Tool: PECmd.exe (Eric Zimmerman) Shows: Program execution history with timestamps and run counts Command: PECmd.exe -d "C:\Windows\Prefetch" --csv output\ ShimCache (AppCompatCache): Tool: AppCompatCacheParser.exe Shows: Programs that existed on system (even if deleted) Command: AppCompatCacheParser.exe -f SYSTEM --csv output\ AmCache (C:\Windows\appcompat\Programs\Amcache.hve): Tool: AmcacheParser.exe Shows: Program execution with SHA1 hashes and install timestamps Command: AmcacheParser.exe -f Amcache.hve --csv output\ NTFS artifacts ($MFT, $UsnJrnl, $LogFile): Tool: MFTECmd.exe Shows: Complete file system timeline including deleted files Command: MFTECmd.exe -f "$MFT" --csv output\ Event Logs: Tool: EvtxECmd.exe Shows: Security, System, PowerShell, Sysmon events Command: EvtxECmd.exe -d "C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs" --csv output\ Registry Hives (SAM, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, NTUSER.DAT): Tool: RECmd.exe with batch files Shows: User accounts, services, installed software, USB history Command: RECmd.exe -d "C:\Windows\System32\config" --bn BatchExamples\RECmd_Batch_MC.reb --csv output\ ``` ### Step 5: Timeline Reconstruction ```bash # Use KAPE for automated artifact collection kape.exe --tsource C: --tdest C:\evidence\kape_output \ --target KapeTriage --module !EZParser # Create super timeline with plaso/log2timeline log2timeline.py timeline.plaso disk_image.E01 psort.py -o l2tcsv timeline.plaso -w timeline.csv # Filter timeline around incident timeframe psort.py -o l2tcsv timeline.plaso "date > '2026-02-20' AND date < '2026-02-22'" -w filtered_timeline.csv ``` ### Step 6: Document Findings Structure forensic report: ``` 1. Executive Summary 2. Scope and Methodology 3. Evidence Inventory (with chain of custody) 4. Timeline of Events 5. Findings and Analysis - Initial access vector - Persistence mechanisms - Lateral movement - Data access/exfiltration 6. Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) 7. Recommendations 8. Appendices (tool output, hashes, raw evidence) ``` ## Key Concepts | Term | Definition | |------|-----------| | **Order of Volatility** | Evidence collection priority from most volatile (RAM) to least volatile (backups) | | **Chain of Custody** | Documented record of evidence handling from collection to presentation | | **Write Blocker** | Hardware or software device that prevents modification of source evidence | | **Super Timeline** | Consolidated chronological view of all artifact timestamps for incident reconstruction | | **Prefetch** | Windows artifact recording program execution history | | **ShimCache** | Application compatibility artifact tracking program existence on endpoint | ## Tools & Systems - **Volatility 3**: Memory forensics framework for analyzing RAM dumps - **KAPE (Kroll Artifact Parser and Extractor)**: Automated triage collection and parsing - **Eric Zimmerman Tools**: Suite of Windows artifact parsers (PECmd, MFTECmd, RECmd, etc.) - **Autopsy/Sleuth Kit**: Disk forensics platform for file system analysis - **FTK Imager**: Forensic imaging and memory acquisition tool - **Plaso/log2timeline**: Super timeline creation framework ## Common Pitfalls - **Modifying evidence on live system**: Always image before analysis. Running tools on a live system alters timestamps and memory state. - **Forgetting chain of custody**: Evidence without documented chain of custody is inadmissible in legal proceedings. - **Analyzing only disk, ignoring memory**: In-memory-only malware (fileless attacks) leaves no disk artifacts. Always capture memory first. - **Not hashing evidence**: All evidence must be cryptographically hashed at collection time to prove integrity. - **Tunnel vision**: Focusing on one artifact when the timeline tells a broader story. 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See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License. # Mega AI Hub resource metadata Creator / publisher: xalgord Original project: https://github.com/xalgord/xalgorix/blob/cec44d71b1d998208e1e2091982d0ee2f928041f/internal/tools/skills/data/endpoint-security/performing-endpoint-forensics-investigation/SKILL.md Attribution basis: Source repository record Fields of work: Development & Engineering Roles: Security Engineer Specialties: Backend Tools: Volatility, Winpmem, Ftk Imager Country applicability: Country not specified Classification basis: Source catalog labels Instruction SHA-256: 19b7045a2f708ff141e6df52ff7262209ac66a349f4bbb3ecce5f1773ad89ce0