# Acquiring Memory Image From Windows and Linux

## **Memory Acquisition in Incident Response**

Memory acquisition is an essential component of digital forensics during incident response. It captures a system's volatile state, preserving critical artifacts such as active processes, network connections, and in-memory malware for subsequent analysis.

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## **Acquiring Memory Image from Windows Systems**

**1. Belkasoft Live RAM Capturer**

* **Features**:
  * Captures full volatile memory with a minimal system footprint.
  * Effective against anti-debugging and anti-dumping mechanisms.
  * Compatible with major Windows versions (including older systems like XP).
* **Usage**:
  1. Download and run `RamCapture64.exe` as **Administrator**.
  2. Set the destination folder for the memory dump.
  3. Click **Capture Memory**.
  4. The output will be saved with a randomly generated filename for anonymity.
* **Advantages**:
  * Minimal system interference, preserving the state of volatile data.
  * Effective in bypassing advanced malware defenses.

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## **2. FTK Imager**

* **Features**:
  * A versatile forensic tool capable of capturing memory and disk images.
  * User-friendly interface for acquiring and validating evidence.
* **Usage**:
  1. Launch **FTK Imager** as **Administrator**.
  2. Navigate to `File > Capture Memory`.
  3. Set the **Destination Path** and **Filename**.
  4. Optionally, check the box to include the system's **pagefile**.
  5. Click **Capture Memory**.
* **Limitations**:
  * Potential errors during acquisition on heavily loaded systems.
  * May lack robustness compared to specialized tools like Belkasoft.

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## **Acquiring Memory Image from Linux Systems**

**AVML (Accelerated Volatile Memory Locator)**

* **Features**:
  * Lightweight, single-binary tool with no dependencies.
  * Supports major Linux distributions and works with various memory sources (e.g., `/dev/crash`, `/proc/kcore`).
* **Usage**:
  1. Download the AVML binary.
  2.  Grant execution permissions:

      ```bash
      chmod +x avml
      ```
  3.  Run AVML to acquire memory:

      ```bash
      ./avml Linux_Acquisition.raw
      ```
  4. Memory image is saved in the specified file.
* **Advantages**:
  * Easy to deploy in both local and remote environments.
  * Can save directly to network shares or mounted drives.

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## **Post-Acquisition Analysis**

**Windows Analysis Tools:**

* **FireEye Redline**:
  * Combines memory and disk analysis to detect malware and suspicious activities.
  * Useful for identifying persistence mechanisms and network behaviors.
* **Volatility**:
  * Open-source framework for in-depth memory analysis.
  * Supports detection of malware, hidden processes, and injected code.

**Linux Analysis Tools:**

* **Volatility (Linux Support)**:
  * Provides plugins for analyzing Linux-specific memory artifacts like tasks, network connections, and files in memory.
* **Custom Scripts**:
  * Analysts can develop or use existing Python scripts to parse Linux memory dumps for system-specific insights.

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## **Key Considerations**

1. **Data Integrity**:
   * Hash acquired memory images using MD5 or SHA-256.
   *   Example:

       ```bash
       md5sum memory_dump.raw
       ```
2. **Minimal System Footprint**:
   * Execute tools from external media (USB drives) or remote shares to avoid altering the system's state.
3. **Storage Requirements**:
   * Memory dumps can be large (gigabytes in size). Ensure sufficient storage space is available.
4. **Documentation**:
   * Maintain detailed notes on acquisition steps, including timestamps, tools used, and hash values.

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## **Key Points**

Memory acquisition is a crucial step in preserving volatile evidence during incident response. Tools like **Belkasoft Live RAM Capturer**, **FTK Imager**, and **AVML** provide reliable methods for capturing memory on Windows and Linux systems. Proper handling and minimal system interaction are essential to maintain the integrity of the evidence for forensic analysis.
