Acquisition and Triage of Disks Using Autopsy
Acquisition and Triage of Disks Using Autopsy
Autopsy is an open-source digital forensics tool that provides a comprehensive environment for analyzing disks, uncovering artifacts, and conducting incident investigations. It’s widely used for disk acquisition, triage, and forensic analysis.
Key Features of Autopsy
Multi-User Collaboration:
Supports teamwork on large-scale investigations.
File System Support:
Works with major file systems (NTFS, FAT, Ext, HFS+).
Keyword Search:
Enables pattern and keyword searches across files and data.
Registry and Web Analysis:
Parses Windows Registry for user activities and extracts web artifacts like browsing history.
Timeline Analysis:
Visualizes events (file access, modifications) over time.
Media Playback:
Views images and videos directly within Autopsy.
Android and Windows Compatibility:
Supports analysis of mobile and desktop systems.
Steps for Disk Acquisition and Triage
Step 1: Installation
Download Autopsy from its official website or GitHub releases.
Install and run it as an administrator.
Step 2: Creating a New Case
Launch Autopsy.
Click New Case.
Name the Case and choose a directory to store case data.
Optionally, fill out Examiner Details (name, description, case number).
Click Finish.
Step 3: Adding Data Sources
Select Data Source Type:
Disk Image: Analyze previously acquired images (e.g., .E01, .dd, .raw).
Local Disk: Analyze physical or logical drives directly connected to your system.
Choose a Disk or Image:
For physical or logical disk analysis, select the connected drive.
Set Time Zone for consistent timeline analysis.
Optionally Create VHD:
Autopsy can generate a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) for further offline analysis.
Step 4: Configuring Ingest Modules
Ingest Modules automate parsing and data extraction. Select relevant modules based on your investigation needs:
File Type Identification: Categorizes files by type (e.g., documents, executables).
Recent Activity: Identifies recently accessed files and user actions.
Keyword Search: Allows searching for specific terms (e.g., passwords, sensitive terms).
Web History: Extracts cookies, visited websites, and downloads.
Email Parser: Analyzes email data from local mail clients.
EXIF Metadata Parser: Extracts metadata from images (e.g., GPS coordinates).
Once selected, click Next to start analysis.
Analyzing Data in Autopsy
After configuration, Autopsy categorizes and displays the collected data for analysis:
1. OS Accounts
Lists user accounts and their activities.
Useful for identifying unauthorized user profiles or malicious activity.
2. Recent Documents
Tracks files recently opened or edited.
Provides insight into user actions leading up to an incident.
3. Images/Videos
Categorizes multimedia files.
Allows filtering by metadata (e.g., creation date, location).
4. Web Activity
Extracts browser histories, cookies, and download data.
Useful for identifying access to suspicious sites or malicious downloads.
5. Email
Parses local email clients to uncover sent/received messages.
Live Triage Using Autopsy
Autopsy offers a Triage USB Drive feature for quick system scans:
Configures Autopsy’s tools onto a USB drive.
Enables live system triage without requiring a full installation.
Collects critical artifacts on-the-fly (e.g., event logs, recent documents).
Use Case: Ideal for rapid incident response in environments where imaging the entire disk isn’t feasible.
Key Benefits of Autopsy
User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive GUI simplifies analysis.
Modular Analysis: Tailor investigations with ingest modules.
Efficient Triage: Quickly identify relevant evidence without full disk imaging.
Scalability: Suitable for small cases and large-scale investigations.
Practical Use Case
Scenario: Investigating a data breach.
Data Acquisition:
Investigators use Autopsy to scan a compromised workstation.
Select relevant ingest modules (Recent Activity, Web History, Keyword Search).
Findings:
Identify a document containing sensitive data accessed and sent to an external email.
Extract web history showing visits to unauthorized file-sharing platforms.
Outcome:
Evidence is compiled and used for remediation and legal proceedings.
Key Points
Autopsy is an essential tool for disk acquisition and forensic triage, offering powerful analysis features in a user-friendly package. Its modular structure allows investigators to focus on relevant artifacts, expediting incident response and digital investigations.
Next Steps:
Explore advanced features like Timeline Analysis.
Practice with sample disk images to build proficiency.
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