PROJECT REPORT

PROJECT TITLE: Detection of Data Theft and Recovery of Data Using Memory
Dump
Domain Name: Digital Forensics (Disk Forensics)

CDAC, Noida

CYBER GYAN VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Submitted By:
Alok Kumar
Project Trainee, (May-June) 2024

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this project report entitled "Detection of Data Theft and Recovery of
Data Using Memory Dump" submitted to CDAC Noida is a bonafide record of work done by
Alok Kumar under my supervision.

Declaration by Author
This is to declare that this report has been written by me. No part of the report is
plagiarized from other sources. All information included from other sources has been duly
acknowledged. I aver that if any part of the report is found to be plagiarized, I shall take full
responsibility for it.

Name of Author: Alok Kumar

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1 Problem Addressed
1.2 Related Literature
2. Approach
3. Implementation
4. Conclusion & Recommendations
5. References

PROJECT DETAILS

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Received a memory dump from the victim. This evidence might hold some secrets about
malicious activities. The objective is to analyze the memory dump to identify stolen data,
detect any malware that may have been installed for data theft, and investigate any manual
data theft. Additionally, the project should detect anti-forensics techniques such as
password-protected files, signature mismatch, encrypted files, steganographed files,
overwritten files, etc., and successfully recover the data using open-source tools and
techniques.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understanding digital forensic methodologies and forensic investigation procedures.
- Learning to extract and analyze forensic evidence from memory dumps.
- Identifying and tracking malware, unauthorized data access, and anti-forensic techniques.
- Developing hands-on skills using forensic tools such as Volatility, Autopsy, and FTK
Imager.
- Learning how to recover and reconstruct stolen data from compromised systems.
- Gaining experience in reporting and documenting forensic findings with detailed analysis.

APPROACH
The project follows a structured approach in digital forensics investigation, which includes:
1. **Data Acquisition:** Extracting a memory dump from the compromised system while
maintaining forensic integrity.
2. **Analysis:** Using forensic tools to examine processes, file structures, and anomalies.
3. **Detection:** Identifying malware, unauthorized data access, and forensic anti-detection
methods.
4. **Recovery:** Recovering deleted, encrypted, and overwritten data using forensic tools.
5. **Reporting:** Documenting findings and preparing evidence-based reports for forensic
use.

IMPLEMENTATION
1. **Extracting Memory Dump:** Using forensic tools to capture a system’s memory.
2. **Analyzing Running Processes:** Identifying suspicious programs and their execution
paths.
3. **Checking for Malware:** Detecting malicious software that may have facilitated data
theft.
4. **Forensic Recovery:** Extracting deleted files, hidden data, and encrypted information.
5. **Anti-Forensic Detection:** Identifying methods attackers use to erase traces, such as
data wiping and steganography.
6. **Reconstructing Evidence:** Rebuilding stolen data and correlating it with known
Indicators of Compromise (IOCs).
7. **Documentation and Reporting:** Creating a detailed forensic report including step-by-
step findings, supporting evidence, and recommendations.

EXPECTED OUTCOME
The project will produce:
- A Proof of Concept (POC) demonstrating the detection and recovery of stolen data.
- A detailed document with step-by-step execution of the forensic investigation.
- A PowerPoint presentation summarizing findings.
- A comprehensive project report detailing methodologies, tools used, and final results.
SUGGESTED TOOLS/TECHNIQUES
Volatility, Autopsy, FTK Imager, CyberCheckSuite, Win-Lift, Win Hex

LEARNING RESOURCES
1. [Awesome Anti-Forensic Techniques](https://github.com/shadawck/awesome-anti-
forensic)
2. [Cyber Forensics India](http://www.cyberforensics.in/)

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

This project successfully identifies and analyzes forensic evidence from a memory dump,
detects data theft attempts, and recovers stolen data. The findings emphasize the
importance of digital forensics in cybersecurity and propose effective countermeasures
against malware attacks and anti-forensic techniques.

Recommendations:
1. Organizations should implement robust monitoring mechanisms to detect suspicious
activities in real time.
2. Incident response teams should be trained in forensic analysis to enhance digital security.
3. Regular forensic audits should be conducted to identify vulnerabilities and improve
security protocols.
4. Encryption and access control mechanisms should be strengthened to prevent
unauthorized data access.
5. Advanced forensic techniques should be adopted to counteract anti-forensic measures
used by attackers.

LIST OF REFERENCES
- Shadawck, "Awesome Anti-Forensic Techniques", GitHub Repository, [Online Available]
(https://github.com/shadawck/awesome-anti-forensic).
- Cyber Forensics India, "Digital Forensic Learning Portal", [Online
Available](http://www.cyberforensics.in/).
- Garfinkel, S. (2007). "Anti-forensics: Techniques and detection". Digital Investigation, 4,
12-17.
- Carrier, B. (2005). "File System Forensic Analysis". Addison-Wesley.
- Casey, E. (2011). "Digital Evidence and Computer Crime: Forensic Science, Computers, and
the Internet". Academic Press.