What is Network Forensics?
“Network forensics is a science that centers on the discovery and retrieval of information surrounding a cybercrime within a networked environment. Common forensic activities include the capture, recording and analysis of events that occurred on a network in order to establish the source of cyberattacks.”
This is one definition by the Infosec Institute but to explain it in simpler terms – Network Forensics is a process where we collect and analyze organizations’ traffic data to detect any potential cyberattack or investigate any cybercrime. You can think of network forensics analysis as putting up CCTV cameras on your network so in case of any data breach you can look at recorded data and track the root cause.
According to the 2023 Annual Data Breach Report, there was a staggering increase of 78 percent in data compromises as the number went from 1,801 in 2022 to 3,205 in 2023.
The increase in the number of data compromises states that network forensics is becoming vital for every organization. It can not only detect and prevent cybercrimes but also helps with ensuring compliance and collecting digital evidence.
How Does Network Forensics Work?
At its core, network forensics works in a set pattern of capturing, storing, and analyzing. Then the security team further investigates into the cyber breach to minimize the damage and intercept any future attack. But if you’re planning to add forensics into your cybersecurity strategy, you should understand the mechanics of Network Forensics in detail:
Key Applications of Network Forensics
Network forensics is the analysis of all network traffic to investigate security incidents. It’s like being a digital detective – you are gathering clues and piecing together what happened.
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Incident response
One of the key applications is incident response. In case of a security breach, you can identify the root cause of the issue with the help of network forensics. After finding the origin of the problem you can take appropriate action to mitigate the damage.
Compliance and regulatory investigations
Another important use case is compliance and regulatory investigations. The rules around data privacy are getting more rigorous so network forensics analysis can help an organization with forensic evidence that they’re meeting those requirements.
Threat Hunting
Network forensics can also support Network threat detection efforts. It can analyze network traffic patterns and assist you identify signs of deviation from standard patterns. You can add Fidelis Network® to your forensic security strategy as it enhances the threat hunting capability by utilizing machine learning and advanced analytics to detect anomalies and identify potential threats before they escalate.
Performance Troubleshooting
One the most overlooked applications of network forensics is that it allows you to quickly find and fix issues that could be impacting on business productivity or customer experience. The Fidelis system records key information to support performance troubleshooting.
Overall, network forensics is a powerful tool that can give you a comprehensive view of what’s happening on your network.
Advanced Network Forensics Techniques
Network forensics uses various techniques and strategies to capture, analyze, and investigate a network system, A few of those techniques are given below:
1. Packet Capture and Analysis
This process involves monitoring the flow of data through your system and closely inspecting the contents to identify any red flags. Fidelis Security’s patented Deep Session Inspection eliminates the need for analysts to spend time decoding network traffic. Our session reassembly allows us to provide visibility far beyond a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).
2. Traffic Analysis
This technique involves looking for unusual spikes or trends in network traffic. Fidelis will record key pieces of information such as IP addresses and protocols that will allow you to put them together to trace the path of an attack across your network.
3. Memory Forensics
This process involves two key steps. First, you’ll capture an image of the system’s RAM, known as Memory Image Capture, that will give you a comprehensive view of the system’s state, which you can then analyze offline.
4. Memory Analysis
Next, you’ll dig into the Network Connection Analysis. Here, you’ll extract all the active network connections and related artifacts directly from the memory to identify any suspicious activity that may lead to breach. Fidelis Elevate® can help with the process and memory analysis of endpoints within your organization.
5. Cloud Forensics
When it comes to cloud environments, traditional network forensic methods may not always be applicable. That’s where cloud forensics is applied.
Fidelis supports network cloud forensics, allowing sensors to be deployed in public clouds.
Future Trends in Network Forensics
These are some of the key trends that may shape and change the landscape of network forensics.
AI and Machine Learning
With the advancement in AI and ML, Network forensics is able to analyze data faster and give more accurate results. And the more cyberattacks it is experiencing; it is becoming effective to stop future cybercrimes.
Blockchain Integration
Blockchain has garnered a lot of attention due to the recent spike in cryptocurrency exchange. But not many people know that forensic evidence can be recorded on blockchain making them secure against any tampering.
Cloud-Native Forensics
As the data is moving on cloud-based storages, Cloud-Native Forensics is becoming the future of traditional network forensics. Organizations are focused on securing their data in their cloud infrastructure.
IoT Forensics
IoT is the weakest link in any organization, most prone to getting attacked. IoT forensics is a subbranch of network forensics that involves capturing and analyzing data from connected devices to understand and secure any vulnerabilities.
Fidelis Network® - Revolutionizing Network Forensics for Proactive Threat Detection and Response
Network forensics plays a crucial role in contemporary cybersecurity and provides insightful information about the detection, tracking, investigation, and identification of threats. Fidelis Network® Detection and Response (NDR) is a revolutionary tool for network forensics. Through the use of Deep Session Inspection technology, advanced AI (artificial intelligence) analytics, and machine learning (ML), Fidelis’ NDR solution provides security teams with an unprecedented view into network traffic to capture and analyze extensive amounts of data at previously unattainable rates.
Our NDR solution not only supports its customers with retrospective analysis after a breach but also delivers real-time threat detection and prevention, identifying potentially dangerous patterns and anomalous behavior as it unfolds.
Here’s what sets the Fidelis Network apart:
- Fully integrated intelligence that automates and correlates data across your entire security infrastructure.
- An automated platform specifically designed for threat detection and proactive hunting.
- Comprehensive mapping of the entire terrain, encompassing cloud environments, enterprise networks, and remote work settings.
- In-depth visibility into all embedded content flowing in and out across various ports and protocols.
- Capabilities for both real-time detection and historical investigation of threats.
- Detection of lateral movement within networks to identify potential intrusions swiftly.
- Utilization of multiple detection methods spanning the entire attack kill chain.
- Embedded sandboxing features that allow for safe analysis of suspicious files.
- Robust network data loss prevention measures to safeguard sensitive information.
By combatting the most sophisticated cyber threats, Fidelis Network® equips organizations with what they need not only to detect and respond to today’s threats but also predict and train for those of tomorrow.
