Updates

CyberSpeak, 8 Nov
Be sure to check out the CyberSpeak 8 Nov podcast, with an interview of Kristinn, creator of Log2Timeline. There's some Lubie, some iPhone stuff, and lots of Ovie! Good stuff, Ovie, thanks for putting these podcasts together and entertaining us all.

Windows 7 & USB Devices
A member of the Win4n6 group recently posted that there seems to be yet another place that Windows 7 tracks USB removable storage devices. The key path is:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\EMDMgmt

This key appears to have to do with ReadyBoost, and applies to Vista, as well as Windows 7, systems. The key names for each of the devices listed contains information similar to what's in the DeviceClasses key, including the serial number (bold in the below example) for the device, as illustrated below:

\_??_USBSTOR#Disk&Ven_Best_Buy&Prod_Geek_Squad_U3&Rev_6.15#0C90195032E36889&0#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}GEEKSQUAD_1414378827

The values beneath each key include things such as the physical size of the device, as well the date that it was last tested (presumably by ReadyBoost for use as a RAM cache). I have a Windows 7 system for testing, as well as set of hive files from a Vista system, and I see entries for devices that include thumb drives and even an iPod, but not for a digital camera that had been connected to the system.

This might be a very good resource, as I've seen where some folks have asked for the physical size information of a USB device. It would be interesting to see if external HDD enclosures appear in this key, as well, and under what conditions the key LastWrite time is updated.

Resources
CodeProject

F-Response
There's a new post over on the NewInForensics blog that talks about using F-Response, in this case when analyzing Windows Event Logs (.evtx) files. I have to say that I'm glad to see others using this tool, and running tests like this, as it tells me two things. One is that folks are deciding to pick up tools and run their own tests.

The other is that folks in the community and industry are beginning to really realize and acknowledge how useful and truly powerful a tool F-Response really is, and they're using it as such.

When it comes to Windows Event Logs (.evtx) from Vista and above systems, I like to use LogParser from MS to parse the logs into some text-based format, and then use Perl to put the entries in a TLN format for inclusion into a timeline, or for generating mini-timelines. Sometimes I get questions that are best answered by creating mini-timelines (sort of the opposite of super timelines) from just RDP login events, W32Time events, etc.

OpenSource Tools
Brian mentioned recently that there's a new site available called OpenSourceForensics. From Brian:

One of the take aways from the Sleuth Kit and Open Source Digital Forensics Conference last year was that the community needed a site where examiners could go to find tools and learn about which ones were better than others.

This is a great resource, as one of the issues I hear from folks is that tools are out there, but they're OUT there...there's no single resource or location where an examiner can go to search for or find a tool, or get input from other analysts on the usefulness of the tool. Hopefully, with input from examiners and analysts, this can become an exemplary resource...but remember, folks, it takes effort from everyone!

Add to that a big thanks and shout-out to Brian for this, as well as for the Open Source Conference last June...Brian also mentioned that there will be another one next June!

Note
I presented at the PFIC2010 conference recently, and while I was there, someone came up and told me that they had all of my books. I was going to say something witty, and ask which one they liked best or opened the most, only to have them start off by saying, "...File System Forensic Analysis..."...uh...that's Brian, not me. Brian has hair, and is much smarter than I.

SecTor.ca
Speaking of conferences, SecTor videos are available. I watched Greg Hoglund's keynote presentation, and correlated to what I heard there about the APT and focused attacks to what I saw in Dave Nardoni's presentation at PFIC2010.

During the keynote, Greg pimped Windows Forensic Analysis 2/e during his presentation...very cool, Greg, thanks!

Greg went on to say that the perimeter is disappearing through the use of mobile devices, and that host systems are becoming more important than ever. Early in his keynote, he talked about threat intelligence achieved through host-based analysis, and how many folks have a simple, flash-and-go response policy...wipe the drive of a potentially infected system, re-install, and move on. I think that one of the scariest things...well, should be one of the scariest things...is that Greg pointed out that there's an economy behind gaining access to host systems. That's right...people are paying money to gain access to your systems!

Finally, during his presentation, Greg mentioned a couple of times how MD5 hashes are just short of useless for analysis of well-thought-out intrusions. I know someone who'd be upset about that, if they bothered to watch videos like this.