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Glimpses of Brilliance: Kape

Introduction:

KAPE, crafted by Eric Zimmerman, stands as a powerful, free, and versatile triage collection and post-processing tool designed to streamline forensic data gathering. It operates seamlessly with crowd-sourced "target" files, enabling the identification and collection of specific artifacts. Let's delve into the intricacies of this exceptional tool.


Key Features:

1 . Meta-Files for Artifacts:

  • KAPE utilizes "target" files grouped into meta-files, such as the "!SANS Triage.tkape," covering artifacts from SANS FOR498, FOR500, and FOR508 classes.

  • Currently Windows-exclusive, KAPE can be executed from a thumb drive or remotely downloaded/pushed to a system.

  • Results can be directed to an attached drive, file share, SFTP server, or cloud platforms like Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure.

  • SANS instructors have ingeniously employed PowerShell remoting for endpoints to download and run KAPE in batch mode, sending data to an SFTP server in the cloud.


Capabilities:

1 . Artifact Collection:

  • KAPE's capabilities extend to collecting virtually any forensic artifact needed, offering a rapid and reliable process.

  • Portable with no installation requirements, KAPE boasts detailed audit logging for meticulous tracking.

  • The tool is flexible and customizable, overcoming wildcard and recursion challenges in other tools. It enables easy standardization of collected data across teams.

  • KAPE excels in collecting locked system files, alternate data streams, and even supports extraction from Windows Volume Shadow Copies.

  • The tool is exceptionally fast, incorporating inline de-duplication to reduce collection sizes effectively.

  • KAPE supports post-processing of collected data through module capabilities, enhancing its overall utility.


Example Command Line:


kape.exe --tsource F --target !SANS_Triage --tdest C:\temp\Output


  • Explanation:

  • --tsource: Specifies the drive or directory to search (e.g., F).

  • --target: Identifies the target configuration or meta-file to run.

  • --tdest: Specifies the directory to store copied files.


Additional Options:

  • vss: Enables the search on all available Volume Shadow Copies on --tsource.

  • vhdx and vhd: Creates a VHDX virtual hard drive from the contents of --tdest.

  • debug: Enables debug messages when set to true.


Conclusion: KAPE emerges as an indispensable tool in the forensic arsenal, offering a user-friendly yet powerful approach to artifact collection and post-processing. Its efficiency, coupled with extensive customization options, positions it as a go-to solution for forensic practitioners worldwide.


Akash Patel

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