Today, let's dive into the fascinating world of digital forensics by exploring Volatility 3—a powerful framework used for extracting crucial digital artifacts from volatile memory (RAM). Volatility enables investigators to analyze a system’s runtime state, providing deep insights into what was happening at the time of memory capture.
While some forensic suites like OS Forensics offer integrated Volatility functionality, this guide will show you how to install and run Volatility 3 on Windows and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Given the popularity of Windows, it's a practical starting point for many investigators. Moreover, WSL allows you to leverage Linux-based forensic tools, which can often be more efficient.
Installing Volatility 3 on Windows:
Before diving in, ensure you have three essential tools installed:
Python 3: Download Python 3 from the Microsoft Store.
Git for Windows: Click here
Microsoft C++ Build Tool: Download it
Once these tools are installed, follow these steps to set up Volatility 3:
Head to the Volatility GitHub repository here.
Copy the repository link.
Open PowerShell and run: git clone <copied link>
Check the Python version using: python -V
Navigate to the Volatility folder in PowerShell and run DIR (for Windows) or ls (for Linux).
Run the command: pip install -r .\requirements.txt
Verify the Volatility version: python vol.py -v
Extracting Digital Artifacts:
Now that Volatility is set up, you'll need a memory image to analyze. You can obtain this image using tools like FTK Imager or other image capture tools.
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Here are a few basic commands to get you started:
python vol.py -v (Displays tool information).
python vol.py -f D:\memdump.mem windows.info
Provides information about the Windows system from which the memory was collected.
Modify windows.info for different functionalities.
D:\memdump.mem (Path of memory image)
3. python vol.py -f D:\memdump.mem windows.handles - Lists handles in the memory image. Use -h for the help menu.
Significance of -pid Parameter in Memory Forensics is used as a parameter.
Now you guys will think what's point using python in volatility 3.
python vol.py -f D:\memdump.mem windows.pslist | Select-String chrome
This command showcases the use of a search string (Select-String) to filter the pslist output for specific processes like 'chrome.' While Select-String isn't a part of Volatility 3 itself, integrating it with Python offers a similar functionality to 'grep' in Linux, facilitating data extraction based on defined criteria.
Few Important commands:
windows.pstree (Will give hierarchy view)
windows.psscan (find unlinked hidden processes)
windows.netstat
windows.cmdline (what haven been run from where it have been run any special arguments he used)
windows.malfind (in case of legit you will not get anything for legit processes)
windows.hashdump (showed hash password on windows)
windows.netscan
Windows.ldrmodules
A "True" within a column means the DLL was present, and a "False" means the DLL was not present in the list. By comparing the results, we can visually determine which DLLs might have been unlinked or suspiciously loaded, and hence malicious.
More commands with details you will found in this link click here
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Why Switch to WSL for Forensics?
As forensic analysis evolves, using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has become a more efficient option for running tools like Volatility 3. With WSL, you can run Linux-based tools natively on your Windows machine, giving you the flexibility and compatibility benefits of a Linux environment without the need for dual-booting or virtual machines.
Install WSL by running:
wsl --installTo install Volatility 3 on WSL:
1. Install Dependencies
Before installing Volatility 3, you need to install the required dependencies:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3-pip python3-pefile python3-yara2. Installing PyCrypto (Optional)
While PyCrypto was a common requirement, it is now considered outdated. If installing it works, great! If not, you can move on:
pip3 install pycryptoIf PyCrypto doesn’t install correctly, don’t worry—Volatility 3 can still function effectively without it in most cases.
3. Clone the Volatility 3 Repository
Next, clone the official Volatility 3 repository from GitHub:
git clone https://github.com/volatilityfoundation/volatility3.git
cd volatility34. Verify the Installation
To confirm that Volatility 3 is installed successfully, run the following command to display the help menu:
python3 vol.py -h | moreIf you see the help options, your installation was successful, and you’re ready to begin memory analysis.
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Why WSL is Essential for Forensic Analysis
Forensic tools like Volatility 3 often run more smoothly in a Linux environment due to Linux’s lightweight nature and better compatibility with certain dependencies and libraries. WSL allows you to run a full Linux distribution natively on your Windows machine without the need for a virtual machine or dual-booting. This means you can enjoy the power and flexibility of Linux while still working within your familiar Windows environment.
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Conclusion
Forensic analysis, especially with tools like Volatility 3, becomes far more efficient when leveraging WSL. It offers better performance, compatibility with Linux-based tools, and ease of maintenance compared to traditional Windows installations. I hope this guide has provided a clear pathway for setting up and running Volatility 3 on both Windows and WSL, empowering you to optimize your forensic workflows.
Now, you might wonder: "I’ve given the commands for running Volatility 3 on Windows—what about WSL?" The good news is that the commands remain the same for WSL, as the underlying process is the same; only the environment differs. In upcoming articles, I’ll cover tools like MemProcFS, Strings, and how to perform comprehensive memory analysis using all three.
Until then, happy hunting and keep learning! 👋
Akash Patel
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