Memory Acquisition Techniques

1 min read Advanced Security Topics

Memory Acquisition Techniques

Successful memory acquisition requires understanding various approaches and their trade-offs:

Software-Based Acquisition:

Advantages:

  • No special hardware required
  • Can be deployed remotely
  • Supports various operating systems

Disadvantages:

  • May alter memory contents
  • Can be detected by malware
  • Requires administrative privileges

Popular Software Tools:

  • WinPMEM: Open-source Windows memory acquisition
  • DumpIt: Simple one-click acquisition
  • FTK Imager: Comprehensive forensic toolkit
  • Belkasoft RAM Capturer: User-friendly interface
  • Magnet RAM Capture: Free memory acquisition tool

Hardware-Based Acquisition:

FireWire/DMA Attacks:

  • Direct Memory Access through FireWire ports
  • Bypasses operating system protections
  • Limited by modern security features

Cold Boot Attacks:

  • Exploits RAM data persistence after power loss
  • Requires physical access
  • Time-sensitive procedure

Virtualization-Based Acquisition:

  • Snapshot virtual machine memory
  • Non-intrusive to guest OS
  • Ideal for incident response in virtual environments