Registry: A Wealth of Information Information that can be recovered include:- System Configuration
- Devices on the System
- User Names
- Personal Settings and Browser Preferences
- Web Browsing Activity
- Files Opened
- Programs Executed
- Passwords
Registry History Before the Windows Registry: (DOS, Windows 3.x)- INI files
- SYSTEM.INI – This file controlled all the hardware on the computer system.
- WIN.INI – This file controlled all the desktop and applications on the computer system.
Individual applications also utilized their own INI files that are linked to the WIN.INI.
Registry History: INI File Problems Proliferation of INI files.Other problems Size limitations- Slow access
- No standards
- Fragmented
- Lack of network support
Registry History The Windows 3.x OS also contained a file called REG.DAT.The REG.DAT was utilized to store information about Object Link Embedding (OLE) objects.
Registry History The Windows 9x/NT 3.5 Operating System is composed of the following files:- System.dat – Utilized for system settings. (Win 9x/NT)
- User.dat – One profile for each use with unique settings specific to the user. (Win 9x/NT)
- Classes.dat – Utilized for program associations, context menus and file types. (Win Me only)
To provide redundancy, a back-up of the registry was made after each boot of the computer system. These files are identified as:- System.dao (Win 95)
- User.dao (Win 95)
- Rbxxx.cab (Windows 98/Me)
Registry History If there are numerous users on a computer system, the following issues arise:- The User.dat file for each individual will be different as to the content.
- If all users on the computer system utilize the same profile, the information will all be mingled in the User.dat and will be difficult if not impossible to segregate the data.
- On Windows 9.x systems, the User.dat file for the default user is utilized to create the User.dat files for all new profiles.
Registry Definition The Microsoft Computer Dictionary defines the registry as:- A central hierarchical database used in the Microsoft Windows family of Operating Systems to store information necessary to configure the system for one or more users, applications and hardware devices.
- The registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that each can crate, property sheet settings for folders and application icons, what hardware exists on the system and the ports that are being sued.
Registry Definition The registry was developed to overcome the restrictions of the INI and REG.DAT files.The registry is composed of two pieces of information:- System-Wide Information – This is data about software and hardware settings. This information tends to be apply to all users of the computer.
- User Specific Information – This is data about an individual configuration. This information is specific to a user’s profile.
Registry Organization The Windows registry contains the following:- Hives are utilized by the registry to store data on itself.
- Hives are stored in a variety of files that are dependent on the Windows Operating System that is being utilized.
Windows 9x Registry
Windows XP Registry
Registry Organization Root Keys - HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR)
- Contains information in order that the correct program opens when executing a file with Windows Explorer.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU)
- Contains the profile (settings, etc) about the user that is logged in.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM)
- Contains system-wide hardware settings and configuration information.
- HKEY_USERS (HKU)
- Contains the root of all user profiles that exist on the system.
- HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC)
- Contains information about the hardware profile used by the computer during start up.
Sub Keys – These are essentially sub directories that exist under the Root Keys.
Registry Organization
Windows Security and Relative ID The Windows Registry utilizes a alphanumeric combination to uniquely identify a security principal or security group.The Security ID (SID) is used to identify the computer system.The Relative ID (RID) is used to identity the specific user on the computer system.The SID appears as:- S-1-5-21-927890586-3685698554-67682326-1005
SID Examples SID: S-1-0 Name: Null Authority Description: An identifier authority. - SID: S-1-0-0 Name: Nobody Description: No security principal.
- SID: S-1-1 Name: World Authority Description: An identifier authority.
- SID: S-1-1-0 Name: Everyone Description: A group that includes all users, even anonymous users and guests. Membership is controlled by the operating system.
- SID: S-1-2 Name: Local Authority Description: An identifier authority.
- SID: S-1-3 Name: Creator Authority Description: An identifier authority.
SID Security ID- NT/2000/XP/2003
- HKLM>SAM>Domains>Accounts>Aliases>Members
- This key will provide information on the computer identifier
- HKLM>SAM>Domains>Users
- This key will provide information in hexadecimal
- User ID
- Administrator – 500
- Guest – 501
- Global Groups ID
- Administrators – 512
- Users – 513
- Guest - 514
MRU To identify the Most Recently Used (MRU) files on a suspect computer system:- Windows 9x/Me
- User.dat
- Search should be made for MRU, LRU, Recent
- Windows NT/2000
- Ntuser.dat
- Search should be made for MRU, LRU, Recent
- Windows XP/2003
- HKU>UserSID>Software>Microsoft>Windows>
- CurrentVersion>Explorer>RecentDoc
- Select file extension and select item
Registry Forensics Registry keys have last modified time-stamp
Registry Forensics Registry Analysis:- Perform a GUI-based live-system analysis.
- Easiest, but most likely to incur changes.
- Use regedit.
- Perform a command-line live-system analysis
- Less risky
- Use “reg” command.
- Remote live system analysis
- regedit allows access to a remote registry
- Superscan from Foundstone
- Offline analysis on registry files.
- Encase, FTK (Access data) have specialized tools
- regedit on registry dump.
Registry Forensics
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT AOL Instant Messenger Away messages- File Transfer & Sharing
- Last User
- Profile Info
- Recent Contacts
- Registered Users
- Saved Buddy List
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT ICQ- IM contacts, file transfer info etc.
- User Identification Number
- Last logged in user
- Nickname of user
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT Internet Explorer- IE auto logon and password
- IE search terms
- IE settings
- Typed URLs
- Auto-complete passwords
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT IE explorer Typed URLs
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT - IM groups, contacts, …
- Location of message history files
- Location of saved contact list files
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT Last member name in MSN messenger
Registry Forensics: NTUSER.DAT Outlook express account passwords
Registry Forensics Yahoo messenger- Chat rooms
- Alternate user identities
- Last logged in user
- Encrypted password
- Recent contacts
- Registered screen names
Registry Forensics System:- Computer name
- Dynamic disks
- Install dates
- Last user logged in
- Mounted devices
- Windows OS product key
- Registered owner
- Programs run automatically
- System’s USB devices
Registry Forensics
Registry Forensics Networking- Local groups
- Local users
- Map network drive MRU
- Printers
Registry Forensics Winzip
Registry Forensics List of applications and filenames of the most recent files opened in windows
Registry Forensics Most recent saved (or copied) files
Registry Forensics System- Recent documents
- Recent commands entered in Windows run box
- Programs that run automatically
- Startup software
- Good place to look for Trojans
Registry Forensics User Application Data- Adobe products
- IM contacts
- Search terms in google
- Kazaa data
- Windows media player data
- Word recent docs and user info
- Access, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint recent files
Registry Forensics Go to - Access Data’s Registry Quick Find Chart
Registry Forensics Case Study- (Chad Steel: Windows Forensics, Wiley)
- Department manager alleges that individual copied confidential information on DVD.
- No DVD burner was issued or found.
- Laptop was analyzed.
- Found USB device entry in registry:
- PLEXTOR DVDR PX-708A
- Found software key for Nero - Burning ROM in registry
- Therefore, looked for and found Nero compilation files (.nrc). Found other compilation files, including ISO image files.
- Image files contained DVD-format and AVI format versions of copyrighted movies.
- Conclusion: No evidence that company information was burned to disk. However, laptop was used to burn copyrighted material and employee had lied.
Registry Forensics Intelliform:- Autocomplete feature for fast form filling
- Uses values stored in the registry
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
- Only visible to SYSTEM account
- Accessible with tools such as Windows Secret Explorer.
Registry Forensics: AutoStart Viewer (DiamondCS)
Registry Research Use REGMON (MS Sysinternals) to monitor changes to the registry- Registry is accessed constantly
- Need to set filter
- Or enable Regmon’s log boot record
- Captures registry activity in a regmon file
Do it yourself: Windows API- DiamondCS RegProt
- Intercepts changes to the registry
Forensics tools allow registry investigation from image of driveDifferences between life and offline view- No HARDWARE hive (HKLM)
- Dynamic key, created at boot
- No virtual keys such as HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Derived from SID key under HKEY_USERS
- Source file is NTUSER.DAT
- Do not confuse current and repair versions of registry files
- %SystemRoot%\system32\config (TRUE registry)
- %SystemRoot%\repair (repair version of registry)
Registry Forensics Investigation Forensics search can reveal backups of registry- Intruders leave these behind when resetting registry in order not to damage system
Registry Forensics Investigation Time is Universal Time Coordinated- a.k.a. Zulu
- a.k.a Greenwhich Time
Registry Forensics Investigation Software Key- Installed Software
- Registry keys are usually created with installation
- But not deleted when program is uninstalled
- Find them
- Root of the software key
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- If suspicious, use information from the registry to find the actual code
- Registry time stamps will confirm the file MAC data or show them to be altered
Registry Forensics Investigation Software Key- Last Logon
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon
- Logon Banner Text / Legal Notice
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon
- Security Center Settings
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy
- If firewall logging is enabled, the log is typically at %SystemRoot%/pfirewall.log
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation Analyze Restore Point Settings- Restore points developed for Win ME / XP
- Restore point settings at
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
- Restore points created every RPGlobalInterval value seconds (~every 24h)
- Retention period is RPLifeInterval seconds (default 90 days)
- Restore point taking in ON by default
- Restore points in System Volume Information\restore…
Registry Forensics Investigation Aside: How to access restore points- Restore points are protected from user, including administrator
- Administrator can add her/himself to the access list of the system volume directory
- Turn off “Use simple file sharing” in Control Panel Folder Options
- Click on “Properties” of the directory in Explorer and
Registry Forensics Investigation Restore point - makes copies of important system and program files that were added since the last restore points
- Files
- Stored in root of RP### folder
- Names have changed
- File extension is unchanged
- Name changes kept in change.log file
- Registry data
- in Snapshot folder
- Names have changed, but predictably so
Registry Forensics Investigation SID (security identifier)- Well-known SIDs
- SID: S-1-0 Name: Null Authority
- SID: S-1-5-2 Name: Network
- S-1-5-21-2553256115-2633344321-4076599324-1006
- S string is SID
- 1 revision number
- 5 authority level (from 0 to 5)
- 21-2553256115-2633344321-4076599324 domain or local computer identifier
- 1006 RID – Relative identifier
Local SAM resolves SID for locally authenticated users (not domain users)- Use recycle bin to check for owners
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation Protected Storage System Provider data- Located in NTUSER.DAT\Software\Microsoft\ Protected Storage System Provider
- Various tools will reveal contents
- Forensically, AccessData Registry Viewer
- Secret Explorer
- Cain & Abel
- Protected Storage PassView v1.63
Registry Forensics Investigation MRU: Most Recently Used- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exlorer\RunMRU
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exlorer\Map Network Drive MRU
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Settings\Wizard\ConnectMRU
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exlorer\ComDlg32
- Programs and files opened by them
- Files opened and saved
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exlorer\UserAssist\{*********}\Count- ROT-13 encoding of data used to populate the User Assist Area of the start button
- Contains most recently used programs
Registry Forensics Investigation
Registry Forensics Investigation AutoRun Programs- Long list of locations in registry
- Long list of locations outside the registry
- SystemDrive\autoexec.bat
- SystemDrive\config.exe
- Windir\wininit.ini
- Windir\winstart.bat
- Windir\win.ini
- Windir\system.ini
- Windir\dosstart.bat
- Windir\system\autoexec.nt
- Windir\system\config.nt
- Windir\system32\autochk.exe
Registry Forensics Investigation Rootkit Enabler- Attacker can use AppInit_DLL key to run own DLL.
Dostları ilə paylaş: |
