Azure Forensics

Azure Forensics involves collecting, analyzing, and preserving evidence from Microsoft Azure cloud environments to investigate security incidents, data breaches, or suspicious activities.

1. Preserve and Secure Evidence

• Isolate compromised virtual machines (VMs) or resources to prevent further damage.
• Take VM snapshots, capture memory dumps, and export storage accounts.
• Tools: Azure CLI (Download), Volatility (Download)

2. Collect and Extract Data

• Retrieve Azure Activity Logs, NSG flow logs, Key Vault logs, and storage access logs.
• Collect VM disks, SQL database backups, and blob storage contents.
• Tools: Azure Monitor (Download), Azure Storage Explorer (Download)

3. Analyze Azure Artifacts

• Investigate logs for unusual sign-ins, API calls, or resource modifications.
• Analyze disk images and memory dumps for malware or rootkits.
• Tools: Microsoft Sentinel (Download), Volatility (Download)

4. Recover Deleted or Altered Data

• Restore deleted blobs, recover VM snapshots, or roll back SQL databases.
• Use backup and versioning features to access historical data.
• Tools: Azure Backup (Download), Azure Site Recovery (Download)

5. Authenticate and Verify Integrity

• Validate log integrity using hash values and digital signatures.
• Use Azure Key Vault for secure key management and verification.
• Tools: Azure Key Vault (Download), Log Parser Studio (Download)

6. Document and Report

• Record VM names, IP addresses, event timestamps, and log sources.
• Create a detailed forensic report outlining attack vectors, compromised resources, and remediation actions.

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Open-Source Tools:

1. Azure CLI: Manage and collect forensic data from Azure services. Download
2. Volatility: Memory forensics tool for Azure VM snapshots. Download

Commercial Tools:

1. Azure Monitor: Collect and analyze activity logs and metrics. Download
2. Microsoft Sentinel: Cloud-native SIEM for threat detection and analysis. Download
3. Azure Backup: Backup and recover Azure resources. Download
4. Azure Key Vault: Manage and verify encryption keys. Download
5. Azure Storage Explorer: View and manage Azure storage accounts. Download