• Online, Instructor-Led
  • Online, Self-Paced
  • Classroom
Course Description

FOR526: An In-Depth Memory Forensics Training Course

Malware Can Hide, But It Must Run

Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) professionals need Windows memory forensics training to be at the top of their game. Investigators who do not look at volatile memory are leaving evidence at the crime scene. RAM content holds evidence of user actions, as well as evil processes and furtive behaviors implemented by malicious code. It is this evidence that often proves to be the smoking gun that unravels the story of what happened on a system.

FOR526: Memory Forensics In-Depth provides the critical skills necessary for digital forensics examiners and incident responders to successfully perform live system memory triage and analyze captured memory images. The course uses the most effective freeware and open-source tools in the industry today and provides an in-depth understanding of how these tools work. FOR526 is a critical course for any serious DFIR investigator who wants to tackle advanced forensics, trusted insider, and incident response cases.

In today's forensics cases, it is just as critical to understand memory structures as it is to understand disk and registry structures. Having in-depth knowledge of Windows memory internals allows the examiner to access target data specific to the needs of the case at hand. For those investigating platforms other than Windows, this course also introduces OSX and Linux memory forensics acquisition and analysis using hands-on lab exercises.

There is an arms race between analysts and attackers. Modern malware and post-exploitation modules increasingly employ self-defense techniques that include more sophisticated rootkit and anti-memory analysis mechanisms that destroy or subvert volatile data. Examiners must have a deeper understanding of memory internals in order to discern the intentions of attackers or rogue trusted insiders. FOR526 draws on best practices and recommendations from experts in the field to guide DFIR professionals through acquisition, validation, and memory analysis with real-world and malware-laden memory images.

Learning Objectives

N/A

Framework Connections

The materials within this course focus on the Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) identified within the Specialty Areas listed below. Click to view Specialty Area details within the interactive National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework.