Memory Forensics Analysis with Volatility | TryHackMe Volatility [Updated]

The post provides a detailed walkthrough of using ?Volatility, a forensic analysis tool, to investigate a memory dump and identify malicious processes. This post also provides the walkthrough of TryHackMe Volatility room.

Overview

• Objective: Analyze a memory dump using Volatility to identify malicious processes.
• Scenario: A memory dump (vmem file) is provided from a virtual machine, and the task is to locate and investigate potential malware.

Key Steps

1. Identifying the Operating System Profile

Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem imageinfo        

• Output suggests possible OS profiles, such as WinXP SP2 x86 or WinXP SP3 x86.
• Choose the correct profile for further analysis.

2. Listing Running Processes

• Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem --profile=<OS_profile> pslist        

• Displays processes running at the time of the memory capture.
• Look for anomalies like:
• Unfamiliar processes.
• Suspiciously named executables.
• Example Suspicious Processes:
• smss.exe (could be legitimate but often targeted by process injection).
• csrss.exe.

3. Detecting Hidden Processes

• Use psxview to find discrepancies between process lists.
• Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem --profile=<OS_profile> psxview        

• Flags processes that are hidden or tampered with.
• Look for processes with False in certain columns (e.g., PsActiveProcessHead, CSRSS).

4. Analyzing Process Modules

• Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem --profile=<OS_profile> ldrmodules        

• Identifies injected DLLs or tampered processes.
• Focus on processes with False in the Load, Init, or Mem columns.

5. Dumping Suspicious Processes

• Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem --profile=<OS_profile> procdump -p <pid> -D <output_dir>        

• Dumps the process executable for offline analysis.

6. Analyzing Dumped Files

Upload dumped files to online malware analysis tools like:

• VirusTotal.
• Hybrid Analysis.

Example:

• A dumped process flagged as malicious by multiple antivirus engines.

7. Investigating API Hooks

Check for unexpected or unknown API hooks, often a sign of process injection.

• Command:

volatility -f <memory_dump>.vmem --profile=<OS_profile> apihooks        

• Look for hooks marked as Unknown.

Findings and Highlights

Identified Malicious Processes:

• csrss.exe and smss.exe were flagged due to discrepancies in psxview and ldrmodules.
• Dumped executables confirmed malware after online analysis.

Behavior of Malicious Processes:

• Evidence of code injection and hooking was found, pointing to advanced techniques used by the attacker.

Recommendations for Further Analysis

Offline Tools:

• Reverse engineer dumped executables using tools like IDA Pro or Ghidra.

Correlate Findings:

• Cross-check process activity with network logs or other forensic artifacts.

Report Findings:

• Document malicious behaviors and provide remediation steps.

Let me know if you need further details or additional help with memory forensics!

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