Process Instance Verifier & Plugin #1908
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# live.py – Volatility 3 Live System Analysis Plugin `live.py` is a custom plugin for **Volatility 3** designed to extend its capabilities for **real-time forensic data collection and threat hunting** directly on a **live Windows system**, eliminating the need for a full memory dump. This tool provides an **interactive command-line shell** for dynamic investigation, leveraging system APIs through libraries like `psutil` and `pywin32` to quickly triage and analyze active endpoints. --- ## Key Capabilities ### **Live Analysis Mode** Performs immediate, low-overhead forensic data collection from an active operating system, bypassing traditional memory dump requirements. ### **Interactive Shell** Includes an integrated CLI environment offering a suite of commands for efficient, step-by-step investigation via the `LiveShellCommand` interface. ### **Advanced Threat Hunting** Provides built-in commands for targeted analysis: - **fileless** – Detects fileless malware and suspicious in-memory activity, focusing on processes such as `powershell.exe`. - **detect_sandbox** – Identifies virtualized or sandboxed environments by inspecting artifacts, process behavior, and MAC address prefixes. ### **Comprehensive Forensic Data Collection** Collects essential artifacts and system information for deep analysis: - **Process and Module Data:** `pslist`, `psscan`, `dlllist`, `handles`, `sids`, `cmdline` - **Network Activity:** `netscan` for active connections and sockets - **Persistence & Services:** Analysis of `services`, `drivers`, `registry`, and autorun entries - **Artifact Analysis:** Extraction of `shimcache`, `prefetch`, `userassist`, and `jumplists` - **Timeline Generation:** Unified event correlation using `timeliner` ---
# sandbox_detect.py – Virtualization and Sandbox Environment Detection (Volatility 3 Plugin) `sandbox_detect.py` is a specialized **Volatility 3 plugin** designed for **post-mortem forensic analysis** of **Windows memory dumps**. Its primary goal is to detect and score artifacts indicating that the analyzed system was operating within a **Virtual Machine (VM)**, **Sandbox**, or **Malware Analysis Environment**. This plugin is particularly valuable for investigators who need to determine whether a captured memory sample originated from a **controlled analysis setup** or a **real-world victim system**. --- ## Key Capabilities ### **Multi-Layered Artifact Scanning** Performs deep inspection across multiple memory and system layers to ensure comprehensive detection: - **Process Analysis:** Identifies running processes related to virtualization or analysis environments, such as `vmtoolsd.exe`, `vboxservice.exe`, `prl_cc.exe`, `wireshark.exe`, and `ollydbg.exe`. - **Driver and Module Checks:** Detects kernel modules and drivers named after virtualization platforms, including `vmmouse.sys`, `vboxguest.sys`, and `vmhgfs.sys`. - **Registry and System Keys:** Examines critical registry entries and system identifiers for virtualization traces, such as hardware IDs, BIOS strings, and known VM installation paths. --- ### **Heuristic Scoring System** Implements a scoring engine that assigns severity levels to each identified artifact. Instead of a binary result, the plugin produces a **confidence-based verdict**, such as: - **HIGH CONFIDENCE – Virtual Machine Detected** - **MODERATE CONFIDENCE – Sandbox Environment** - **LOW CONFIDENCE – Physical Host** This scoring model provides analysts with clearer, evidence-weighted conclusions. ---
# sandbox_detect.py – Virtualization and Sandbox Environment Detection (Volatility 3 Plugin) `sandbox_detect.py` is a specialized **Volatility 3 plugin** designed for **post-mortem forensic analysis** of **Windows memory dumps**. Its primary goal is to detect and score artifacts indicating that the analyzed system was operating within a **Virtual Machine (VM)**, **Sandbox**, or **Malware Analysis Environment**. This plugin is particularly valuable for investigators who need to determine whether a captured memory sample originated from a **controlled analysis setup** or a **real-world victim system**. --- ## Key Capabilities ### **Multi-Layered Artifact Scanning** Performs deep inspection across multiple memory and system layers to ensure comprehensive detection: - **Process Analysis:** Identifies running processes related to virtualization or analysis environments, such as `vmtoolsd.exe`, `vboxservice.exe`, `prl_cc.exe`, `wireshark.exe`, and `ollydbg.exe`. - **Driver and Module Checks:** Detects kernel modules and drivers named after virtualization platforms, including `vmmouse.sys`, `vboxguest.sys`, and `vmhgfs.sys`. - **Registry and System Keys:** Examines critical registry entries and system identifiers for virtualization traces, such as hardware IDs, BIOS strings, and known VM installation paths. --- ### **Heuristic Scoring System** Implements a scoring engine that assigns severity levels to each identified artifact. Instead of a binary result, the plugin produces a **confidence-based verdict**, such as: - **HIGH CONFIDENCE – Virtual Machine Detected** - **MODERATE CONFIDENCE – Sandbox Environment** - **LOW CONFIDENCE – Physical Host** This scoring model provides analysts with clearer, evidence-weighted conclusions. ---
# proccon.py – Process Connectivity & Visualization (Volatility 3 Plugin) `proccon.py` is a **Volatility 3 plugin** designed to provide **process visualization and relationship mapping** from a **Windows memory dump**. While it does not perform direct forensic analysis, it serves as a **critical utility** for post-processing and visualizing process hierarchy data. The plugin extracts **Parent-Child process relationships** and outputs them as a **Graphviz DOT file**, enabling investigators to generate graphical representations of the system’s process tree at the time of capture. --- ## Key Capabilities ### **Process Tree Extraction** Efficiently iterates through the complete process list obtained via Volatility’s `windows.pslist` plugin to map: - **PID** (Process ID) → **PPID** (Parent Process ID) This provides a foundational dataset for visual process relationship mapping. --- ### **Graphviz DOT Output** Automatically generates a **structured `.dot` file** compatible with Graphviz visualization tools such as: - `dot` - `neato` - Online renderers and graphing tools This output can be rendered into **network-style process trees**, allowing investigators to: - Visualize process spawning chains - Detect irregular or unexpected parent-child relationships - Identify suspicious execution flows in malware investigations --- ### **Visualization Focus** The plugin emphasizes **connectivity and hierarchy**, providing a clear visual representation of process structures that supports: - **Anomaly Detection:** Spot abnormal or hidden parent-child relationships - **Malware Analysis:** Map execution chains to trace malicious process origins - **System Understanding:** Reveal the operational process tree at the time of memory capture ---
procdup.py - Volatility 3 Plugin Test Stub This script appears to be a basic boilerplate or test stub for developing a Volatility 3 plugin. Its purpose is not to perform a specific forensic function but to verify that the plugin framework is correctly configured and that a custom module can be loaded and executed by Volatility 3. Key Capabilities Plugin Verification: Serves as a "Hello, World!" for Volatility 3 development. It executes a minimal function (_generator) to confirm that the plugin is properly recognized, loaded, and runnable within the framework. Minimal Requirements: It only defines the absolute minimum requirements needed for a Windows-based Volatility 3 plugin: Requires the Windows kernel module (requirements.ModuleRequirement). Sets the required framework version (_required_framework_version). Simple Output: The output is a basic TreeGrid report that confirms success, making it ideal for debugging a new Volatility 3 development environment or ensuring the plugin path is set correctly.
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procdup.py – Process Instance Plugin (Volatility 3)
procdup.pyis a minimal but functional Volatility 3 plugin that inspects and reports on process instances found in a Windows memory image.Its primary purpose is to provide a clear, compact example of how to implement a Volatility plugin while giving immediate, useful output about process instances (PID, name, parent PID, and a simple status). It is intended as a reliable starting point for development and as a quick sanity-check tool when validating plugin load/execution.
This plugin is not merely a “test stub.” It performs a concrete, observable task: iterating process objects extracted by Volatility and presenting them in a concise TreeGrid report so analysts can both verify plugin behavior and obtain quick process-instance data.
Key Capabilities
Process Instance Inspection
windows.pslist).Running,Terminated,Plugin verified)Plugin Template
requirements.ModuleRequirement._required_framework_version._generator(or equivalent) that yields TreeGrid rows.Compact, Human-Readable Output