Forensic analysis of memory on Linux
Tracing Clues
In computer forensics, memory analysis is becoming increasingly important as a means for investigating security incidents. In this article, we provide an overview of the various memory dumping options on Linux and introduce the support in Linux for the Volatility Analysis Framework.
Experts agree that one of the first steps for diagnosing a potential intrusion incident is backing up a RAM image. Traditional investigations of persistent memory are no longer sufficient because, as the capacity of hard drives increases, you need to investigate a huge amount of data to detect an attack. Analysis of volatile memory can support and accelerate these investigations because forensic investigators only need to search through a comparatively small amount of data for clues relating to a successful attack. Additionally, RAM often contains important traces, such as information on running processes or active network connections.
Tapping into RAM is especially important for countering anti-forensics techniques. In some cases, it is possible to extract the passphrase for an encrypted drive from volatile memory. You can also detect non-persistent malware using RAM analysis. In targeted attacks, hackers often use malicious code that is only active in memory, and it leaves no data behind on the disk. This type of malware is virtually undetectable without analyzing volatile memory.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
4MLinux 41.0 is Now Stable and Ready for Use
The developers behind 4MLinux have changed the status of 41.0 to STABLE, which means it's ready for prime time.
-
Xfce 4.18 is Coming Soon and Offers Subtle Improvements
The Xfce team has announced the release date of the next iteration of the desktop, which includes a good number of features to polish the fan-favorite Linux UI.
-
Orange Pi Board Has Arch-Based Linux Distribution in the Works
The developers of the Orange Pi board are planning to release an Arch-based Linux distribution available for its hardware as an alternative to Orange Pi OS.
-
Alpine Linux 3.17 Now Available to the General Public
The developers of Alpine Linux have officially announced the release of the latest version of the security-focused Linux distribution.
-
The New StarFighter Linux Laptop Now Available for Preorder
A new, completely customizable Linux laptop is now available to preorder from Star Labs.
-
Critical Escalation Vulnerability Found in the Linux Kernel
A new local privilege escalation vulnerability has been discovered in the Linux kernel and users are encouraged to upgrade/patch immediately.
-
AlmaLinux 8.7 Now Available
The developers of AlmaLinux have released the latest version of the OS, named Stone Smilodon, to the general public.
-
New Arch-Based Linux Distribution Aims to be Beginner-Friendly
CachyOS has been created to serve as a Linux distribution for everyone, even while being based on the more complex Arch Linux.
-
elementary OS 7 Getting Closer to Release
The team behind elementary OS has announced they are now focused on putting the finishing touches on the next major release of the Linux distribution.
-
Nitrux 2.5 Released with Kernel 6.0 and KDE Plasma 5.26
Nitrux 2.5 has been officially released and is the first systemd-free distribution to include both kernel 6.0 and KDE Plasma 5.26.