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Cloud Forensics Demystified: Decoding cloud investigation complexities for digital forensic professionals
Enhance your skills as a cloud investigator to adeptly respond to cloud incidents by combining traditional forensic techniques with innovative approaches
Key FeaturesUncover the steps involved in cloud forensic investigations for M365 and Google WorkspaceExplore tools and logs available within AWS, Azure, and Google for cloud investigationsLearn how to investigate containerized services such as Kubernetes and DockerPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionAs organizations embrace cloud-centric environments, it becomes imperative for security professionals to master the skills of effective cloud investigation. Cloud Forensics Demystified addresses this pressing need, explaining how to use cloud-native tools and logs together with traditional digital forensic techniques for a thorough cloud investigation.
The book begins by giving you an overview of cloud services, followed by a detailed exploration of the tools and techniques used to investigate popular cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Progressing through the chapters, you’ll learn how to investigate Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and containerized environments such as Kubernetes. Throughout, the chapters emphasize the significance of the cloud, explaining which tools and logs need to be enabled for investigative purposes and demonstrating how to integrate them with traditional digital forensic tools and techniques to respond to cloud security incidents.
By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to handle security breaches in cloud-based environments and have a comprehensive understanding of the essential cloud-based logs vital to your investigations. This knowledge will enable you to swiftly acquire and scrutinize artifacts of interest in cloud security incidents.
What you will learnExplore the essential tools and logs for your cloud investigationMaster the overall incident response process and approachFamiliarize yourself with the MITRE ATT&CK framework for the cloudGet to grips with live forensic analysis and threat hunting in the cloudLearn about cloud evidence acquisition for offline analysisAnalyze compromised Kubernetes containersEmploy automated tools to collect logs from M365Who this book is forThis book is for cybersecurity professionals, incident responders, and IT professionals adapting to the paradigm shift toward cloud-centric environments. Anyone seeking a comprehensive guide to investigating security incidents in popular cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, as well as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and containerized environments like Kubernetes will find this book useful. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to cloud security, this book offers insights and practical knowledge to enable you to handle and secure cloud-based infrastructure.
Table of ContentsIntroduction to the CloudTrends in Cyber and Privacy Laws and Their Impact on DFIRExploring the Major Cloud ProvidersDFIR Investigations – Logs in AWSDFIR Investigations – Logs in AzureDFIR Investigations – Logs in GCPCloud Productivity SuitesThe Digital Forensics and Incident Response ProcessCommon Attack Vectors and TTPsCloud Evidence Acquisition
Key FeaturesUncover the steps involved in cloud forensic investigations for M365 and Google WorkspaceExplore tools and logs available within AWS, Azure, and Google for cloud investigationsLearn how to investigate containerized services such as Kubernetes and DockerPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionAs organizations embrace cloud-centric environments, it becomes imperative for security professionals to master the skills of effective cloud investigation. Cloud Forensics Demystified addresses this pressing need, explaining how to use cloud-native tools and logs together with traditional digital forensic techniques for a thorough cloud investigation.
The book begins by giving you an overview of cloud services, followed by a detailed exploration of the tools and techniques used to investigate popular cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Progressing through the chapters, you’ll learn how to investigate Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and containerized environments such as Kubernetes. Throughout, the chapters emphasize the significance of the cloud, explaining which tools and logs need to be enabled for investigative purposes and demonstrating how to integrate them with traditional digital forensic tools and techniques to respond to cloud security incidents.
By the end of this book, you’ll be well-equipped to handle security breaches in cloud-based environments and have a comprehensive understanding of the essential cloud-based logs vital to your investigations. This knowledge will enable you to swiftly acquire and scrutinize artifacts of interest in cloud security incidents.
What you will learnExplore the essential tools and logs for your cloud investigationMaster the overall incident response process and approachFamiliarize yourself with the MITRE ATT&CK framework for the cloudGet to grips with live forensic analysis and threat hunting in the cloudLearn about cloud evidence acquisition for offline analysisAnalyze compromised Kubernetes containersEmploy automated tools to collect logs from M365Who this book is forThis book is for cybersecurity professionals, incident responders, and IT professionals adapting to the paradigm shift toward cloud-centric environments. Anyone seeking a comprehensive guide to investigating security incidents in popular cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, as well as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and containerized environments like Kubernetes will find this book useful. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to cloud security, this book offers insights and practical knowledge to enable you to handle and secure cloud-based infrastructure.
Table of ContentsIntroduction to the CloudTrends in Cyber and Privacy Laws and Their Impact on DFIRExploring the Major Cloud ProvidersDFIR Investigations – Logs in AWSDFIR Investigations – Logs in AzureDFIR Investigations – Logs in GCPCloud Productivity SuitesThe Digital Forensics and Incident Response ProcessCommon Attack Vectors and TTPsCloud Evidence Acquisition
602 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2024
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October 4, 2024
Book Review: Cloud Forensics Demystified
At this point, we've all heard the expression that 'There is no cloud; It's just someone else's computer.' While there is some truth to that, there are some fundamental differences when it comes to digital forensics when cloud resources are part of the investigation.
Recently, I had the chance to read "Cloud Forensics Demystified: Decoding cloud investigation complexities for digital forensic professionals", by Ganesh Ramakrishnan and Mansoor Haqanee. I received a complimentary this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I've been doing DFIR for about 15 years now. In the early days, almost all investigations involved having hands on access to the data or devices being investigated. As I moved into Enterprise Incident Response, it became more and more frequent that the devices I would be investigating would be in a remote location, be it another state - or even another country. As the scope of my investigations grew, so did my techniques need to evolve and adapt.
Cloud Forensics is the next phase of that evolution. While the systems under investigation may still be in another state or country, extra factors come into play like multi-tenancy and shared responsibility models. Cloud Forensics Demystified does a solid job of shedding light on those nuances.
The book is divided into three parts.
• Part 1: Cloud Fundamentals
• Part 2: Forensic Readiness: Tools, Techniques, and Preparation for Cloud Forensics
• Part 3: Cloud Forensic Analysis: Responding to an Incident in the Cloud
Part 1: Cloud Fundamentals
This section provides a baseline knowledge of the three major cloud providers, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure. It breaks down the different architectural components of each, and how the platforms each handle the functions of virtual systems, networking and storage.
Part 1 also includes a broad yet thorough introduction to the different Cyber and Privacy legislation that come into play for cloud investigations. This section is not only valuable to investigators. Whether you're a lawyer providing legal counsel for an organization, or responsible for an organizations overall security at a CISO level, this material is beneficial in understanding the challenges and responsibilities that come from hosting your data or systems in the cloud, and the different legislation and regulations that follow those choices.
Part 2: Forensic Readiness: Tools, Techniques, and Preparation for Cloud Forensics
As with enterprise investigations, logging is often where the hunting for incident indicators begins with telemetry and the correlation of different log sources. This section focuses on the different log sources available in AWS, GCP, and Azure It also provides a detailed list of log types that are enabled by default and those that require manual activation to ensure that you have access to the most relevant data for your investigations when an incident occurs. This section also covers the different providers offerings for log analysis in the cloud including AWS Cloud Watch, Microsoft Sentinel and Google's Cloud Security Command Center (Cloud SCC) as examples.
Part 3: Cloud Forensic Analysis: Responding to an Incident in the Cloud
As an Incident Responder, this was the section I enjoyed the most. While the first two sections are foundational for understanding the architectures of networking and storage, part three provides detailed information on how to acquire evidence for cloud investigations. The section covers both log analysis techniques as well as recommendations for host forensics and memory analysis tools. The book covers the use of commercial forensic suites, like Magnet Axiom, as well as open-source tools like CyLR and HAWK. Besides covering investigations of the three Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), there is also a section covering the cloud productivity services of Microsoft M365 and Google Workspace, as well as a brief section on Kubernetes.
Summary
Whether you're a gray-haired examiner like me, or a neophyte in the world of digital forensics, chances are high that if you're not running investigations in the cloud yet - you will be soon enough.
Preparation is the first step in the Incident Response lifecycle. To properly prepare for incidents you need to know both what sources will be most informative to your investigations, as well as the methodology to capture and process that evidence efficiently.
“Cloud Forensics Demystified” is a comprehensive guide that covers cloud fundamentals, forensic readiness, and incident response. It provides valuable insights into cloud investigation techniques, log analysis, and evidence acquisition for major cloud providers and productivity services. The book is essential for both experienced and novice digital forensics professionals to prepare for cloud investigations.
At this point, we've all heard the expression that 'There is no cloud; It's just someone else's computer.' While there is some truth to that, there are some fundamental differences when it comes to digital forensics when cloud resources are part of the investigation.
Recently, I had the chance to read "Cloud Forensics Demystified: Decoding cloud investigation complexities for digital forensic professionals", by Ganesh Ramakrishnan and Mansoor Haqanee. I received a complimentary this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I've been doing DFIR for about 15 years now. In the early days, almost all investigations involved having hands on access to the data or devices being investigated. As I moved into Enterprise Incident Response, it became more and more frequent that the devices I would be investigating would be in a remote location, be it another state - or even another country. As the scope of my investigations grew, so did my techniques need to evolve and adapt.
Cloud Forensics is the next phase of that evolution. While the systems under investigation may still be in another state or country, extra factors come into play like multi-tenancy and shared responsibility models. Cloud Forensics Demystified does a solid job of shedding light on those nuances.
The book is divided into three parts.
• Part 1: Cloud Fundamentals
• Part 2: Forensic Readiness: Tools, Techniques, and Preparation for Cloud Forensics
• Part 3: Cloud Forensic Analysis: Responding to an Incident in the Cloud
Part 1: Cloud Fundamentals
This section provides a baseline knowledge of the three major cloud providers, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure. It breaks down the different architectural components of each, and how the platforms each handle the functions of virtual systems, networking and storage.
Part 1 also includes a broad yet thorough introduction to the different Cyber and Privacy legislation that come into play for cloud investigations. This section is not only valuable to investigators. Whether you're a lawyer providing legal counsel for an organization, or responsible for an organizations overall security at a CISO level, this material is beneficial in understanding the challenges and responsibilities that come from hosting your data or systems in the cloud, and the different legislation and regulations that follow those choices.
Part 2: Forensic Readiness: Tools, Techniques, and Preparation for Cloud Forensics
As with enterprise investigations, logging is often where the hunting for incident indicators begins with telemetry and the correlation of different log sources. This section focuses on the different log sources available in AWS, GCP, and Azure It also provides a detailed list of log types that are enabled by default and those that require manual activation to ensure that you have access to the most relevant data for your investigations when an incident occurs. This section also covers the different providers offerings for log analysis in the cloud including AWS Cloud Watch, Microsoft Sentinel and Google's Cloud Security Command Center (Cloud SCC) as examples.
Part 3: Cloud Forensic Analysis: Responding to an Incident in the Cloud
As an Incident Responder, this was the section I enjoyed the most. While the first two sections are foundational for understanding the architectures of networking and storage, part three provides detailed information on how to acquire evidence for cloud investigations. The section covers both log analysis techniques as well as recommendations for host forensics and memory analysis tools. The book covers the use of commercial forensic suites, like Magnet Axiom, as well as open-source tools like CyLR and HAWK. Besides covering investigations of the three Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), there is also a section covering the cloud productivity services of Microsoft M365 and Google Workspace, as well as a brief section on Kubernetes.
Summary
Whether you're a gray-haired examiner like me, or a neophyte in the world of digital forensics, chances are high that if you're not running investigations in the cloud yet - you will be soon enough.
Preparation is the first step in the Incident Response lifecycle. To properly prepare for incidents you need to know both what sources will be most informative to your investigations, as well as the methodology to capture and process that evidence efficiently.
“Cloud Forensics Demystified” is a comprehensive guide that covers cloud fundamentals, forensic readiness, and incident response. It provides valuable insights into cloud investigation techniques, log analysis, and evidence acquisition for major cloud providers and productivity services. The book is essential for both experienced and novice digital forensics professionals to prepare for cloud investigations.
Displaying 1 of 1 review