Windows Forensics: Techniques for Analyzing Windows Artifacts
Windows forensics involves analyzing various artifacts that Windows operating systems generate. These artifacts can provide valuable insights during investigations. This tutorial will cover key techniques for analyzing two significant Windows artifacts: Prefetch files and Volume Shadow Copies (VSC).
Prefetch Files
Prefetch files are created by Windows to speed up the loading of applications. They can reveal information about the programs executed on a system, including the frequency and timing of their execution.
1. Location of Prefetch Files
Prefetch files are stored in the following directory:
C:\Windows\Prefetch
2. Analyzing Prefetch Files
- Tools: Use tools like
PECmd
orWinPrefetchView
to parse Prefetch files. - Prefetch File Naming: Prefetch file names are created by appending a hash of the file path to the executable name, followed by a
.pf
extension. - Contents: Prefetch files contain the executable name, last run timestamp, number of times the application was run, and the files accessed by the application.
Example Command:
PECmd.exe -d C:\Windows\Prefetch --csv "c:\temp" --csvf prefetch.csv
3. Forensic Value
- Executable Tracking: Determine which programs were executed.
- Execution Frequency: Identify how often a program was run.
- Timeline Analysis: Correlate application execution with other events.
Volume Shadow Copies (VSC)
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) allows Windows to create snapshots of files or volumes at specific points in time. VSCs can be crucial in recovering deleted files or historical versions of files.
1. Accessing Volume Shadow Copies
List All Shadow Copies:
vssadmin list shadows
2. Mounting a Shadow Copy
Command to Mount:
mklink /D C:\ShadowCopy \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy1\
After mounting, you can navigate to the shadow copy as a regular directory to access previous versions of files.
3. Analyzing Volume Shadow Copies
- Recover Deleted Files: Copy files from the shadow copy to another location for analysis.
- Compare Versions: Compare the current file system with shadow copies to identify changes over time.
4. Tools for VSC Analysis
- ShadowExplorer: A GUI tool for browsing and exporting files from shadow copies.
- FTK Imager: Can be used to mount and analyze shadow copies.
Conclusion
Windows artifacts like Prefetch files and Volume Shadow Copies are invaluable in forensic investigations. By understanding how to analyze these artifacts, forensic analysts can uncover critical information about system activities, user behavior, and historical file states.
Resources
By following these techniques, you can effectively gather and analyze forensic evidence from Windows systems, aiding in thorough and accurate investigations.