The discovery of a compromised endpoint in an organization’s network signifies the beginning of a complex forensic investigation. It involves a systematic approach to examining how an attack started at an endpoint and spread across the network, requiring a structured methodology to maintain evidence integrity and reveal the full extent of the breach.
Modern threat actors are known to expand their activities beyond a single endpoint, utilizing initial access to navigate through networks and compromise multiple systems to achieve their goals. To combat this, a comprehensive guide has been developed to delve into the technical process of conducting end-to-end forensics from the initial compromised endpoint to network pivot points.
The first step in any digital forensics investigation is identifying and preserving evidence from the compromised endpoint. This process involves identifying indicators of compromise that may indicate unauthorized access, isolating the affected endpoint to prevent further contamination, acquiring forensic images of the system’s storage devices, and documenting each step of the initial response to maintain evidence.
Additionally, memory analysis plays a crucial role in endpoint forensics as attackers increasingly operate in memory to evade traditional detection methods. Advanced memory analysis techniques allow investigators to uncover malicious code execution, detect process injection, identify network connections, and recover encryption keys. Tools like the Volatility Framework facilitate detailed memory parsing, while analyzing browser artifacts can reveal the origin point of an attack in cases of phishing or malicious downloads.
After securing evidence from the compromised endpoint, the next step is to reconstruct the attack path and establish a timeline. This involves correlating artifacts from various sources to understand how the attacker gained access, their actions on the compromised system, and their lateral movement within the network. Investigating network pivoting and lateral movement requires comprehensive network visibility through packet capture, flow data, SNMP polling, and API integration with network devices to identify unusual authentication patterns, unexpected activities, and anomalous traffic.
Analyzing the attack path is crucial in developing a clearer picture of the attack progression, identifying initial access vectors, and determining patient zero in the attack sequence. Advanced pivot searching methodologies involve linking forensic artifacts across systems to identify related compromises using discovered evidence as search criteria. Establishing a timeline of lateral movement events in network forensics investigations is imperative for understanding the attacker’s objectives and methods to strengthen security postures against similar attack patterns in the future.
In conclusion, by utilizing a structured approach to end-to-end forensics, organizations can thoroughly investigate security incidents, determine their full impact, and implement targeted remediation strategies. The insights gained through comprehensive forensic analysis not only resolve immediate incidents but also enhance security controls to prevent future compromises.