In this article, we
will learn how we can use RegRipper to analyze the windows registry in
the forensic investigation environment.
Table of Content
Introduction to RegRipper
Creating a Registry
Hives
SAM file
§ Analyzing Log: SAM
§ Analyzing Report: SAM
System file
§ Analyzing Log: System
Software file
§ Analyzing Log: Software
§ Analyzing Report: Software
Security file
§ Analyzing Report:Security
Conclusion
Let's begin the
Forensic Investigation!!
Introduction to Regripper
RegRipper is an
open-source tool, written in Perl. To extracting and parsing information like
[keys, values, data] from the Registry and presenting it for analysis.
Its GUI version allows
the analyst to select a hive to parse, an output file for the results. It also
includes a command-line (CLI) tool called rip.
Rip can be pointed
against a hive and can run either a profile (a list of plugins) or an
individual plugin against that hive, with the results being sent to STDOUT.
Plugins are extremely
valuable in the sense that they can be written to parse data in a manner that
is useful to individual analysts.
To learn more about
RegRipper click here.
We can download RegRipper
for windows from here.
Creating a Registry Hives
A hive is a logical
group of keys, subkeys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting
files loaded into memory when the OS is started or user login.
Each time a new user
logs on a computer, a new hive file is created for that user with a separate
file for the user profile hive.
A user’s hive contains
specific registry information about user’s application settings, desktop,
environment, network connections, and printers. User profile hives are located
under the HKEY_USERS key.
We can learn more
about Registry Hives from here.
Use these commands to
save a copy of these Registry Hives [SAM, System, Software, and Security].
reg save hklm\sam
c:\sam
reg save
hklm\system c:\system
reg save
hklm\software c:\software
reg save
hklm\security c:\security
After saving all these
Hive files, we can launch the RegRipper software.
In the Hive file
tab, we need to select the location where we saved our Registry hive file. In
the Report file tab, select that location where we want our report and
log file both saved. Then click on a rip button to get the report and log file.
Now let us learn about
all this file information.
SAM file
SAM stands for the Security
Account Manager is a database file in windows that stores
user's information. The user passwords are stored
in a hashed format in a Registry hive either as an LM hash or as an NTLM hash.
This file can be found in “%SystemRoot%/system32/config/SAM” and is mounted on
HKLM/SAM.
In an attempt to improve the security of
the SAM database against offline software cracking, Microsoft introduced the
SYSKEY function in Windows NT 4.0. When SYSKEY is enabled, the on-disk copy of
the SAM file is partially encrypted, so that the password hash values for all
local accounts stored in the SAM are encrypted with a key.
After some time, it
will showcase the message on the screen that our work for this investigation
process is completed with zero plugins completed with errors.
It will create two
files one with logs of the investigation and Second with a Report
of the investigation.
Analyzing Log:
SAM
Now check the log
file with this command.
type samreport.log
It will only tell
about the environment of this hive file.
Analyzing
Report: SAM
Secondly now its
Report time. we can access this file with the following commands.
type samreport.txt
As we can see in the
below screenshot it will tell about SAM version and User information.
Now, as we can see the
main user account got spotted with its major details like.
Username: SKS19 [1001]
Full Name: SHUBHAM
KUMAR SHARMA
Account Created:
2020-06-27 14:00:47Z
Name: SHUBHAM KUMAR
SHARMA
InternetName: S******.SK@outlook.com
Pwd Reset Date:
2020-06-27 14:01:10Z
Embedded RID: 1001
Next, we have spotted Group
Membership Information. With its group name Guests and its details.
Some more group
membership information, the group's name like Users, System Managed Accounts
Group, and Administrators. Their details revel Lastwrite, Group Comment, and
Its Users.
Lastly, RDP and some
Analysis tips which would be handy for us in the Investigation.
System file
The system hive file
consists of all basic information regarding the system information. Now, repeat
the same steps for RegRipper and select the location of the Hive file
and Report file. Then click on the Rip! Button to start the
Investigation process.
After some time, it
will showcase the message on the screen that our work for this investigation
process is completed with zero plugins completed with errors. As we mentioned
earlier it will create two files: Log and Report.
Analyzing Log:
System
The first file is the log
file regarding gathering information from that directory. After seeing the
logs regarding system information.
type
systemreport.log
Analyzing Report:
System
we have opened its report
with these commands.
type
systemreport.txt
The below screenshot
tells about all the software installed with their default directory
along with its path.
After that, we found
out control set backups details in the victim's system. Along with temp
file details.
Now, this result is
showing us about the HKLM [ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] user's BAM. It is a user specific
application.
Now it shows, Some
device details, Computer name on diff-diff instances and crash control
information.
Now the network media
streaming devices connected with the system. In our case, it is from a Sony
corporation. We can get along some interesting details with its hardware ID. It
also gets some details regarding the connected USB devices no matter their
currently connected or not.
After this, it will
cover the hardware details along with NTFS disable the last access update.
Like, ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Environment, Hardware details.
After this IP
address and Domain name details with Hint. Analysis Tips and Mounted
devices.
Now Finally in the
System file, we got details regarding mounted devices details. It gets all
details whether they are currently mounted or not.
Software file
Software Hive file
consists, all the information regarding the software installed in this system.
After some time, it
will showcase the message on the screen that our work for this investigation
process is completed with zero plugins completed with errors.
Analyzing Log:
Software
As usual, we opened
the logfile first to check its log to understand through which file it
is detecting to create an Investigation report for this file. Now run this
command to view this file.
type
softwarereport.log
Analyzing
Report: Software
Now we need to view
the report file of the software hive file. So, run this command to get
this file.
type
softwarereport.txt
In this report, the first page shows details
regarding AppInit DLLs values. AppInit DLLs is a mechanism that
allows an arbitrary list of DLLs to be loaded into each user-mode process on
the system. 
The next page shows us
the details regarding application details and the App Paths subkeys.
After this, it will
showcase all the drivers regarding Input and output devices installed in
the victim’s system.
Last page of this
report regarding the CLSID key. Where CLSID is a globally unique
identifier that identifies a COM class object. If your server or container
allows linking to its embedded objects, you need to register a CLSID for each
supported class of objects.
The CLSID key contains
information used by the default COM handler to return information about a class
when it is running. The CLSID is a
128-bit number, in hex, within a pair of curly braces.
Security file
Security hive help us
to understand the security measures of the victim’s system in the Forensic
Investigation process.
Now, follow the
previous steps for RegRipper and select the location of the Hive file
and Report file. Then click on the Rip! Button to start the
Investigation process.
After some time, it
will showcase the message on the screen that our work for this investigation
process is completed with zero plugins completed with errors.
Analyzing Log: Security
Now we checked its log
file to deeply understand our Investigation report. Run these commands to
view the log file in the command prompt.
type
securityreport.log
Analyzing
Report: Security
To view, the security
hive file report follows this command.
type
securityreport.txt
This report page is
all about the security hive file audit policy. An audit policy specifies
account limits of one or multiple resources for a group of users.
This contains
guidelines that establish policy limitations and workflows for processing
breaches after they occurs.
Where N means
No audit, S means Success, and F means failure.
Conclusion
The Windows Registry
is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the operating system
of Microsoft Windows and for programs choosing to use the registry. The
register also offers access to counters for results in profiling systems. In
other terms, on all models of Microsoft Windows operating systems, the registry
or Windows registry contains information, settings, options, and other values
for programs and hardware installed.
These details can be
extracted with RegRipper to get a better result in the Forensic Investigation.
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