Hoarder: Automating Forensic Artifact Collection for Incident Response

A breach. Lights flicker. The console drowns in a sea of cryptic logs. You're staring into the abyss of a compromised system, and time is a luxury you don't have. In the chaotic aftermath of a security incident, speed and precision are paramount. You need to gather the critical evidence – the digital breadcrumbs left behind by the attacker – before they vanish into the ether. Traditional disk imaging, while thorough, can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially when dealing with large volumes of data. This is where **Hoarder** steps in, a lean, mean artifact collection machine designed for the frantic pace of incident response. Hoarder isn't about capturing the entire hard drive. It's about surgically extracting the most valuable pieces of information for forensic analysis, streamlining your investigation and getting you to the root cause faster.

Table of Contents

• The Need for Speed in Forensics
• What is Hoarder?
• Installation: Getting Hoarder Ready
• Usage and Arguments: A Forensic Toolkit
• Plugins and Artifacts: The Collector's Arsenal
• Practical Guide: Collecting Key Artifacts
• Hoarder vs. Full Disk Imaging: When to Choose What
• Threat Intelligence Briefing: IoCs and Mitigation
• Operator/Analyst Arsenal
• Frequently Asked Questions
• The Contract: Your First Hoarder Operation

The Need for Speed in Forensics

In the digital trenches, every second counts. Attackers work swiftly, often covering their tracks with a calculated ruthlessness. As a forensic investigator or incident responder, your primary objective is to gather evidence. This evidence can paint a picture of the attack vector, the attacker's movements, the scope of the compromise, and the data that may have been exfiltrated. However, performing a full disk image of every compromised machine can be a bottleneck. Network bandwidth, storage limitations, and the sheer time required can delay critical remediation efforts. This is where specialized tools that focus on targeted artifact collection become indispensable.

Hoarder aims to fill this gap by offering a focused approach. Instead of a brute-force image, it intelligently selects and retrieves specific data points that are highly indicative of malicious activity or user actions. Think of it as a forensic scalpel rather than a sledgehammer.

What is Hoarder?

Hoarder is an open-source Python script designed to automate the collection of critical Windows artifacts. Developed for efficiency, it allows investigators to gather essential data without the overhead of a full disk image. It provides a command-line interface (CLI) with a comprehensive set of options to target specific data types, making it a versatile tool in a forensic investigator's arsenal. Whether you're responding to a live incident or analyzing a disk image, Hoarder can help you quickly acquire the evidence you need.

Its primary strength lies in its modularity and the breadth of artifacts it can collect. From event logs and registry hives to browser history and prefetch files, Hoarder consolidates the most sought-after data points into a single operation.

Installation: Getting Hoarder Ready

Setting up Hoarder is straightforward, leveraging Python's package management system. The project relies on standard libraries, making it accessible for most Windows environments with Python installed. For a smooth operation and to ensure all dependencies are met, it's recommended to install directly from the requirements file.

First, ensure you have Python installed on your system and that `pip` is available. Then, navigate to the directory where you've cloned or downloaded the Hoarder source code. Execute the following command:

pip install -r requirements.txt

This command will fetch and install all the necessary Python packages listed in the requirements.txt file, preparing Hoarder for immediate use. For advanced users looking to integrate Hoarder into a larger forensic workflow or build custom analysis pipelines, consider setting up a dedicated virtual environment to manage dependencies cleanly. This is a fundamental practice for any serious security professional aiming for reproducible results. You might also want to explore tools like Metasploit Framework for broader security testing capabilities, though Hoarder focuses specifically on artifact collection.

Usage and Arguments: A Forensic Toolkit

Hoarder's power lies in its granular control over artifact collection. The command-line interface is designed to be intuitive yet comprehensive. The basic usage pattern is:

hoarder64.exe [OPTIONS] [ARTIFACTS]

Let's break down the key arguments:

• -h, --help: Displays the help message and exits. Essential for recalling available options on the fly.
• -V, --version: Prints the current version of Hoarder. Crucial for tracking which version you're using in your incident reports.
• -v, --verbose: Provides detailed output of Hoarder's operations. Helpful for debugging or understanding exactly what the script is doing.
• -vv, --very_verbose: Enables DEBUG level logging for even more granular insight into the script's execution.
• -a, --all: Collects all available artifacts. This is the default behavior if no specific artifacts are listed, but explicitly stating it ensures comprehensive data gathering.
• -f IMAGE_FILE, --image_file IMAGE_FILE: This is a critical option for offline analysis. Instead of collecting from a live machine, you can point Hoarder to a disk image file (e.g., a `.dd`, `.e01`, or `.raw` file) as the data source. This is invaluable when remote collection isn't feasible or when dealing with systems that cannot be taken offline.

The script's design emphasizes flexibility, allowing you to either grab everything or be surgically precise. Understanding these arguments is your first step toward mastering Hoarder.

Plugins and Artifacts: The Collector's Arsenal

Hoarder categorizes its collection capabilities into "Plugins" for core system information and "Artifacts" for specific data types. This segmentation allows for targeted data retrieval, optimizing collection time and storage.

Plugins: Core System Data

• -p, --processes: Gathers information about currently running processes. This is vital for identifying suspicious or unauthorized applications running on the system.
• -s, --services: Collects data on system services. Analyzing services can reveal persistence mechanisms or malicious services installed by an attacker.

Artifacts: Digital Footprints

This is where Hoarder truly shines, offering a wide array of options to capture key forensic data:

• --Events: Windows Event Logs (System, Security, Application, etc.). Essential for reconstructing timelines and understanding system activity, including login attempts, errors, and application events.
• --Ntfs: The $MFT (Master File Table) file from NTFS file systems. Provides metadata about all files and directories on the volume, including timestamps, file sizes, and names.
• --prefetch: Prefetch files. These files are generated by Windows to speed up application loading and contain information about executed programs, including execution times and frequency.
• --Recent: Recently opened files. Tracks files accessed by users through the Windows Explorer interface.
• --Startup: Information about programs configured to run at system startup. A common target for malware persistence.
• --SRUM: The System Resource Usage Monitor (SRUM) database. Contains resource usage details for applications and services.
• --Firwall: Firewall logs. Crucial for understanding network connections that were allowed or denied.
• --CCM: Client Center for Maintenance logs, often related to Windows Update or SCCM.
• --WindowsIndexSearch: Artifacts from the Windows Search Indexer. Can reveal information about files that were indexed, even if they were later deleted.
• --Config: System registry hives (SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM). These contain a wealth of configuration information and user data. Proper handling and analysis of registry hives often require specialized tools like Redline or OSForensics.
• --Ntuser: NTUSER.DAT files for all users. These contain user-specific registry settings, including application preferences and recent usage data.
• --applications: Amcache files. Stores information about installed applications and their execution history.
• --usrclass: UserClass.dat files for all users. Contains COM (Component Object Model) class registrations for user-specific applications.
• --PowerShellHistory: PowerShell command history for all users. A prime target for attackers leveraging PowerShell for malicious purposes.
• --RecycleBin: Files found in the Recycle Bin. Even deleted files can provide valuable forensic context.
• --WMI: WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) data files. WMI can be used for system management and is also a favored tool for attackers to establish persistence and execute commands remotely.
• --scheduled_task: Scheduled Task files configured on the system. Another common persistence mechanism.
• --Jump_List: Jump Lists, which show recently accessed files and programs for applications pinned to the taskbar or Start Menu.
• --BMC: Browser Mail Cache files, potentially containing historical browsing data.
• --WMITraceLogs: WMI Trace Logs, which can offer insights into WMI activity.
• --BrowserHistory: Raw browser history data from various browsers. Essential for understanding user activity and potential malicious website visits.
• --WERFiles: Windows Error Reporting files. While often containing application crash data, they can sometimes provide indirect clues about system behavior or specific application states.
• --BitsAdmin: Bits Admin database (QMGR database). This tool was often used for file transfers and can leave a trace of downloaded or uploaded files.
• --SystemInfo: Gathers general system information like OS version, hostname, and user context.

The ability to selectively run these artifact collectors is what makes Hoarder a nimble tool. For instance, focusing solely on `--Events`, `--PowerShellHistory`, and `--BrowserHistory` can yield significant insights in a short amount of time.

Practical Guide: Collecting Key Artifacts

Let's walk through a practical scenario. Imagine you've received an alert about potential suspicious activity on a workstation. You need to quickly gather evidence without disrupting the user too much or requiring a full disk acquisition.

Scenario: Initial Triage Collection

You want to collect system information, event logs, running processes, PowerShell history, and browser history. You'll run Hoarder from a USB drive or a network share on the compromised machine.

.\hoarder64.exe -vv --SystemInfo --Events --processes --PowerShellHistory --BrowserHistory -o C:\Forensic_Triage_Data

Explanation:

• .\hoarder64.exe: Executes the Hoarder script.
• -vv: Enables very verbose output, useful for monitoring the collection process in real-time.
• --SystemInfo: Collects basic system details.
• --Events: Gathers Windows Event Logs.
• --processes: Lists all running processes.
• --PowerShellHistory: Collects PowerShell command history for all users.
• --BrowserHistory: Retrieves browser history data.
• -o C:\Forensic_Triage_Data: Specifies the output directory. It's best practice to collect data to an external drive or a designated forensic partition, not directly onto the compromised system's live drive.

This command will efficiently populate the C:\Forensic_Triage_Data directory with the requested artifacts. The output is organized, making it easier to begin your analysis.

Scenario: Offline Analysis of a Disk Image

You have a disk image of a suspect machine and want to examine specific artifacts without mounting the entire image directly.

.\hoarder64.exe -f D:\path\to\disk_image.dd --Ntfs --prefetch --Startup --Config --Ntuser -o D:\Image_Artifacts

Explanation:

• -f D:\path\to\disk_image.dd: Points Hoarder to your disk image file. Ensure the path is correct and accessible.
• --Ntfs: Collects the $MFT.
• --prefetch: Retrieves Prefetch files.
• --Startup: Collects startup configuration data.
• --Config: Extracts registry hives.
• --Ntuser: Gathers user-specific registry hives.
• -o D:\Image_Artifacts: Designates the output directory for the collected artifacts.

This command is invaluable for remote acquisition or when you don't want to risk modifying the original forensic image. Tools like The Sleuth Kit can also be used for detailed analysis of disk images, but Hoarder provides a quick way to grab specific files of interest first.

Hoarder vs. Full Disk Imaging: When to Choose What

It's crucial to understand that Hoarder is a supplementary tool, not a replacement for full disk imaging in all scenarios. Each has its place:

• Full Disk Imaging:
  • When: For comprehensive, bit-for-bit preservation of all data, including deleted files, unallocated space, and file slack. Essential for legal admissibility and cases requiring absolute integrity.
  • Pros: Captures everything. Provides the highest level of assurance for forensic soundness.
  • Cons: Time-consuming, requires significant storage, can be network-intensive for remote imaging.
• Hoarder:
  • When: For rapid triage, quick analysis of live systems, targeted investigations, or when storage/time is limited. Ideal for initial assessments and prioritizing further investigation.
  • Pros: Fast, efficient, requires less storage, less intrusive on live systems.
  • Cons: Does not capture deleted files or unallocated space. May miss artifacts not explicitly covered by its options. Not a substitute for a full forensic image in court-bound situations unless coupled with a full image.

Think of Hoarder as your initial reconnaissance mission. It helps you quickly identify high-value targets, which might then warrant a full disk image for deeper, more rigorous examination. This phased approach optimizes resource allocation and accelerates the incident response lifecycle.

Threat Intelligence Briefing: IoCs and Mitigation

Hoarder itself is a tool for gathering Indicators of Compromise (IoCs). Understanding the artifacts it collects is key to identifying malicious activity:

• IoCs from Hoarder Artifacts:
  • Executable Files: Suspicious PEs found via `--processes` or Amcache data (`--applications`).
  • Persistence Mechanisms: Malicious entries in Startup folders (`--Startup`), Scheduled Tasks (`--scheduled_task`), or Services (`--services`).
  • Command and Control: Network connections logged in Firewall logs (`--Firwall`) or browser history (`--BrowserHistory`).
  • User Activity: Excessive access to sensitive files, unusual PowerShell commands (`--PowerShellHistory`), or recent file access patterns (`--Recent`).
  • Malware Artefacts: Specific files or registry keys associated with known malware families, often discoverable through registry hives (`--Config`, `--Ntuser`) or prefetch analysis (`--prefetch`).
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Implement robust EDR solutions that can detect and respond to suspicious artifact collection or malware execution in real-time. Solutions like CrowdStrike Falcon or Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provide advanced capabilities.
  • Regular Log Review: Automate the collection and analysis of Windows Event Logs. SIEM solutions like Splunk or Elastic SIEM are crucial for this.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure users and services only have the permissions they absolutely need. This limits the impact of compromised accounts or processes.
  • Application Whitelisting: Prevent unauthorized executables from running, drastically reducing the effectiveness of many malware types.

By understanding what Hoarder collects, you equip yourself to better recognize and defend against threats. Always maintain an updated threat intelligence feed; knowledge is your best weapon.

Operator/Analyst Arsenal

To effectively leverage Hoarder and conduct thorough forensic investigations, a well-equipped toolkit is essential. These are the instruments of the digital detective:

• Forensic Suites:
  • Autopsy: A powerful, open-source digital forensics platform that integrates with The Sleuth Kit. It provides a GUI for analyzing disk images and collecting artifacts.
  • X-Ways Forensics: A professional, highly regarded forensic analysis tool known for its speed and comprehensive features.
  • FTK (Forensic Toolkit): A comprehensive commercial forensics solution from AccessData.
• Registry Analysis Tools:
  • RegRipper: A command-line tool that parses Windows registry hives to extract valuable information, often used after Hoarder collects the hives.
  • Registry Explorer: A popular GUI tool for analyzing registry structure and content.
• Log Analysis Tools:
  • Log Parser (Microsoft): A versatile command-line utility for querying various log file formats, including Windows Event Logs, using SQL-like syntax.
• Memory Forensics: While Hoarder focuses on disk artifacts, memory analysis is critical. Tools like Volatility 3 are indispensable for live memory acquisition and analysis.
• Books:
  • {"The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Classic and Cutting-Edge Web Applications"} by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto.
  • {"Practical Mobile Forensics"} by Oleg Afonin, Roman Arkhipov, and Eugene K.
  • {"Digital Forensics and Incident Response: Incident response recurring process, digital forensics, and forensics tools"} by Gerard Bergeron.
• Certifications:
  • GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
  • Certified Computer Examiner (CCE)
  • CompTIA Security+ (as a foundational understanding)

Investing in the right tools and knowledge is not an option; it's a requirement for anyone serious about digital investigations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can Hoarder be used on Linux or macOS systems?
A1: Hoarder is specifically designed for Windows artifacts. For Linux/macOS, different tools and approaches would be required, focusing on their respective file systems and log formats.

Q2: Is Hoarder suitable for legal evidence collection?
A2: Hoarder is excellent for rapid triage and evidence gathering. However, for full legal admissibility, it's generally recommended to perform a forensically sound full disk image and use tools that document the entire chain of custody rigorously. Hoarder's output can be part of a larger investigation, but it's not typically the sole basis for evidence.

Q3: How does Hoarder handle encryption?
A3: If you are running Hoarder on a live system with encrypted drives (e.g., BitLocker), it will collect artifacts from the decrypted data as accessible. If analyzing an image file, encrypted volumes within the image will likely be inaccessible unless the key is provided to the imaging or analysis tool.

Q4: Does Hoarder collect deleted files?
A4: Hoarder primarily focuses on accessible artifacts and metadata. It does not perform deep scans of unallocated disk space or file slack to recover deleted file content, which is the domain of full disk imaging and specialized recovery tools.

The Contract: Your First Hoarder Operation

You've been handed a terminal. A user account shows suspicious activity – quick logins, unusual file accesses, and a surge in PowerShell output. Your mission: perform an initial triage using Hoarder. Launch Hoarder on the suspect machine (or a mounted disk image if you're working offline). Execute a command that gathers system information, event logs, running processes, and PowerShell history. Save the output to a separate, untainted drive. Document the exact command used, the output directory, and any verbose logging seen during execution. This exercise will solidify your understanding of Hoarder's practical application.

Now, analyze the collected PowerShell history. What commands were executed? Do any of them look suspicious or out of place for a standard user? Document your findings. The digital shadows speak volumes, if you know where to look.

The Contract: Deploy Hoarder to collect at least three distinct artifact types (e.g., Prefetch, Scheduled Tasks, and Browser History) from a test machine or disk image. Document the command used and list the collected artifacts. What common patterns or suspicious entries did you find in the browser history?