Hacking the Hippocratic Oath. Forensic Fun with Medical IoT
Hacking the Hippocratic Oath. Forensic Fun with Medical IoT [announcement]
this document provides a comprehensive analysis of Medical Internet of Things (IoMT) Forensics, focusing on various critical aspects relevant to the field, including examination of current forensic methodologies tailored for IoT environments, highlighting their adaptability and effectiveness in medical contexts; techniques for acquiring digital evidence from medical IoT devices, considering the unique challenges posed by these devices; exploration of privacy issues and security vulnerabilities inherent in medical IoT systems, and how these impact forensic investigations; review of the tools and technologies used in IoT forensics, with a focus on those applicable to medical devices; analysis of real-world case studies where medical IoT devices played a crucial role in forensic investigations, providing practical insights and lessons learned.
This document offers a high-quality synthesis of the current state of Medical IoT Forensics, making it a valuable resource for security professionals, forensic investigators, and specialists across various industries. The insights provided can help enhance the understanding and implementation of effective forensic practices in the rapidly evolving landscape of medical IoT.
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The rapid adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the healthcare industry, known as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), has revolutionized patient care and medical operations. IoMT devices, such as wearable health monitors, implantable medical devices, and smart hospital equipment, generate and transmit vast amounts of sensitive data over networks.
Medical IoT network forensics is an emerging field that focuses on the identification, acquisition, analysis, and preservation of digital evidence from IoMT devices and networks. It plays a crucial role in investigating security incidents, data breaches, and cyber-attacks targeting healthcare organizations. The unique nature of IoMT systems, with their diverse range of devices, communication protocols, and data formats, presents significant challenges for traditional digital forensics techniques.
The primary objectives of medical IoT network forensics are:
📌 Incident Response: Rapidly respond to security incidents by identifying the source, scope, and impact of the attack, and gathering evidence to support legal proceedings or regulatory compliance.
📌 Evidence Acquisition: Develop specialized techniques to acquire and preserve digital evidence from IoMT devices, networks, and cloud-based systems while maintaining data integrity and chain of custody.
📌 Data Analysis: Analyze the collected data, including network traffic, device logs, and sensor readings, to reconstruct the events leading to the incident and identify potential vulnerabilities or attack vectors.
📌 Threat Intelligence: Leverage the insights gained from forensic investigations to enhance threat intelligence, improve security measures, and prevent future attacks on IoMT systems.
Medical IoT network forensics requires a multidisciplinary approach, combining expertise in digital forensics, cybersecurity, healthcare regulations, and IoT technologies. Forensic investigators must navigate the complexities of IoMT systems, including device heterogeneity, resource constraints, proprietary protocols, and the need to maintain patient privacy and data confidentiality.
When Velociraptors Meet VMs. A Forensic Fairytale
When Velociraptors Meet VMs. A Forensic Fairytale [announcement]
Welcome to the riveting world of forensic analysis on VMware ESXi environments using Velociraptor, the tool that promises to make your life just a tad bit easier.
Velociraptor, with its advanced forensic techniques, is tailored to the complexities of virtualized server infrastructures. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for your forensic needs, minus the actual knife. Whether you’re dealing with data extraction, log analysis, or identifying malicious activities, Velociraptor has got you covered.
But let’s not kid ourselves—this is serious business. The integrity and security of virtualized environments are paramount, and the ability to conduct thorough forensic investigations is critical. So, while we might enjoy a bit of snark and irony, the importance of this work cannot be overstated. Security professionals, IT forensic analysts, and other specialists rely on these methodologies to protect and secure their infrastructures. And that, dear reader, is no laughing matter.
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This document provides a comprehensive analysis of forensics using the Velociraptor tool. The analysis delves into various aspects of forensic investigations specific environments, which are maintaining the integrity and security of virtualized server infrastructures. Key aspects covered include data extraction methodologies, log analysis, and the identification of malicious activities within the virtual machines hosted on ESXi servers.
This analysis is particularly beneficial for security professionals, IT forensic analysts, and other specialists across different industries who are tasked with the investigation and mitigation of security breaches in virtualized environments.
This document discusses the application of Velociraptor, a forensic and incident response tool, for conducting forensic analysis on VMware ESXi environments. The use of Velociraptor in this context suggests a focus on advanced forensic techniques tailored to the complexities of virtualized server infrastructures
Key Aspects of the Analysis
📌 Data Extraction Methodologies: it discusses methods for extracting data from ESXi systems, which is vital for forensic investigations following security incidents.
📌 Log Analysis: it includes detailed procedures for examining ESXi logs, which can reveal unauthorized access or other malicious activities.
📌 Identification of Malicious Activities: by analyzing the artifacts and logs, the document outlines methods to identify and understand the nature of malicious activities that may have occurred within the virtualized environment.
📌 Use of Velociraptor for Forensics: it highlights the capabilities of Velociraptor in handling the complexities associated with ESXi systems, making it a valuable tool for forensic analysts.
Utility of the Analysis
This forensic analysis is immensely beneficial for various professionals in the cybersecurity and IT fields:
📌 Security Professionals: helps in understanding potential vulnerabilities and points of entry for security breaches within virtualized environments.
📌 Forensic Analysts: provides methodologies and tools necessary for conducting thorough investigations in environments running VMware ESXi.
📌 IT Administrators: assists in the proactive monitoring and securing of virtualized environments against potential threats.
📌 Industries Using VMware ESXi offers insights into securing and managing virtualized environments, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of business operations.
VMWARE ESXI: STRUCTURE AND ARTIFACTS
📌 Bare-Metal Hypervisor: VMware ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor widely used for virtualizing information systems, often hosting critical components like application servers and Active Directory.
📌 Operating System: It operates on a custom POSIX kernel called VMkernel, which utilizes several utilities through BusyBox. This results in a UNIX-like file system organization and hierarchy.
📌 Forensic Artifacts: From a forensic perspective, VMware ESXi retains typical UNIX/Linux system artifacts such as command line history. Additionally, it includes artifacts specific to its virtualization features, which are crucial for forensic investigations.
ICSpector: Solving Forensics Problems You Didn’t Know You Had
The Microsoft ICS Forensics Tools framework, known as ICSpector, is an open-source tool designed to facilitate the forensic analysis of Industrial Control Systems (ICS), particularly focusing on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).
Key Technical Points of ICSpector
Framework Composition and Architecture
📌Modular Design: ICSpector is composed of several components that can be developed and executed separately, allowing for flexibility and customization based on specific needs. Users can also add new analyzers
📌Network Scanner: Identifies devices communicating via supported OT protocols and ensures they are responsive. It can work with a provided IP subnet or a specific IP list exported from OT security products.
📌Data Extraction & Analyzer: Extracts PLC project metadata and logic, converting raw data into a human-readable form to highlight areas that may indicate malicious activity.
Forensic Capabilities
📌Identification of Compromised Devices: Helps in identifying compromised devices through manual verification, automated monitoring, or during incident response.
📌Snapshot Creation: Allows for the creation of snapshots of controller projects to compare changes over time, aiding in the detection of tampering or anomalies.
📌Support for Siemens PLCs: Currently supports Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 and S7-400 families, with plans to support other PLC families in the future.
Integration with Other Tools
📌Microsoft Defender for IoT: Can be used alongside Microsoft Defender for IoT, which provides network-layer security, continuous monitoring, asset discovery, threat detection, and vulnerability management for IoT/OT environments.
Use Cases
📌Incident Response: Useful for incident response operations to detect compromised devices and understand if PLC code was tampered with.
📌Proactive Security: Helps in proactive incident response by comparing PLC programs on engineering workstations with those on the actual devices to detect unauthorized changes.
Industries
📌Nuclear, Thermal, and Hydroelectric Power Plants: Power plants rely heavily on Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to manage critical operations. ICSpector can be used to ensure the integrity of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) that control these processes. By detecting any anomalous indicators or compromised configurations, ICSpector helps prevent disruptions that could lead to power outages or safety hazards.
📌Water Treatment Plants: These facilities use ICS to control the treatment processes that ensure water safety. ICSpector can help in monitoring and verifying the integrity of PLCs, ensuring that the water treatment processes are not tampered with, which is crucial for public health and safety.
📌Industrial Manufacturing: In manufacturing environments, ICS are used to control machinery and production lines. ICSpector can be used to detect any unauthorized changes or anomalies in the PLCs, ensuring consistent product quality and preventing costly downtimes due to equipment failure.
📌Critical Infrastructure Sectors: This includes sectors like energy, water, transportation, and communication systems. ICSpector can be used to safeguard the ICS that control these critical infrastructures from cyberattacks, ensuring their continuous and secure operation.
📌Chemical Processing Plants: These plants use ICS to manage complex chemical processes. ICSpector can help in ensuring that the PLCs controlling these processes are secure and have not been tampered with, which is vital for preventing hazardous incidents.
📌Oil and Gas Industry: ICS are used extensively in the oil and gas sector for drilling, refining, and distribution processes. ICSpector can be used to monitor and verify the integrity of these systems, preventing disruptions that could lead to significant financial losses and environmental damage