Malware Forensics Field Guide for Windows Systems

Malware Forensics Field Guide for Windows Systems

by Cameron H. Malin, Eoghan Casey, James M. Aquilina
Released May 2012
Publisher(s): Syngress
ISBN: 9781597494731

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Book description

Malware Forensics Field Guide for Windows Systems is a handy reference that shows students the essential tools needed to do computer forensics analysis at the crime scene. It is part of Syngress Digital Forensics Field Guides, a series of companions for any digital and computer forensic student, investigator or analyst. Each Guide is a toolkit, with checklists for specific tasks, case studies of difficult situations, and expert analyst tips that will aid in recovering data from digital media that will be used in criminal prosecution.

This book collects data from all methods of electronic data storage and transfer devices, including computers, laptops, PDAs and the images, spreadsheets and other types of files stored on these devices. It is specific for Windows-based systems, the largest running OS in the world. The authors are world-renowned leaders in investigating and analyzing malicious code. Chapters cover malware incident response - volatile data collection and examination on a live Windows system; analysis of physical and process memory dumps for malware artifacts; post-mortem forensics - discovering and extracting malware and associated artifacts from Windows systems; legal considerations; file identification and profiling initial analysis of a suspect file on a Windows system; and analysis of a suspect program.

This field guide is intended for computer forensic investigators, analysts, and specialists.

  • A condensed hand-held guide complete with on-the-job tasks and checklists
  • Specific for Windows-based systems, the largest running OS in the world
  • Authors are world-renowned leaders in investigating and analyzing malicious code

Table of contents

  1. Cover Image
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. About the Authors
  8. About the Technical Editor
  9. Introduction
  10. Chapter 1. Malware Incident Response
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
    2. Volatile Data Collection and Analysis Tools
    3. Non-Volatile Data Collection and Analysis Tools
    4. Selected Readings
    5. Jurisprudence/RFCS/Technical Specifications
  11. Chapter 2. Memory Forensics
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
    2. Selected Readings
  12. Chapter 3. Post-Mortem Forensics
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
    2. Selected Readings
  13. Chapter 4. Legal Considerations
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
  14. Chapter 5. File Identification and Profiling
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
    2. Selected Readings
  15. Chapter 6. Analysis of a Malware Specimen
    1. Solutions in this chapter:
    2. Introduction
    3. Goals
    4. Guidelines for Examining a Malicious File Specimen
    5. Establishing the Environment Baseline
    6. Pre-Execution Preparation: System and Network Monitoring
    7. Execution Artifact Capture: Digital Impression and Trace Evidence
    8. Executing the Malicious Code Specimen
    9. Execution Trajectory Analysis: Observing Network, Process, Api, File System, and Registry Activity
    10. Automated Malware Analysis Frameworks
    11. Online Malware Analysis Sandboxes
    12. Defeating Obfuscation
    13. Embedded Artifact Extraction Revisited
    14. Interacting with and Manipulating the Malware Specimen: Exploring and Verifying Functionality and Purpose
    15. Event Reconstruction and Artifact Review: Post-Run Data Analysis
    16. Digital Virology: Advanced Profiling Through Malware Taxonomy and Phylogeny
    17. Conclusion
    18. Pitfalls to Avoid
    19. Selected Readings
  16. Index

Product information

  • Title: Malware Forensics Field Guide for Windows Systems
  • Author(s): Cameron H. Malin, Eoghan Casey, James M. Aquilina
  • Release date: May 2012
  • Publisher(s): Syngress
  • ISBN: 9781597494731