(Podcast) Defend Your Time: The Best Open-Source Tools for DFIR
“Defend Your Time” is the podcast dedicated to helping security leaders get more out of their Microsoft security investments. Listen and subscribe through Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
In this episode, Cyber Defender Andrew Tranter shares a few of his favorite open-source tools that – when combined with Windows event logs – can uplevel your DFIR efforts. Andrew covers specific use cases as well as how to get started with Hayabusa (Yamato-Security), Chainsaw (WithSecureLabs), and Timeline Explorer(Eric Zimmerman).
Introduction to Open-Source Tools in DFIR
In the realm of cybersecurity, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many vendor solutions available. However, many powerful and free open-source tools can significantly enhance your DFIR capabilities. These tools often go unnoticed because they don’t have the marketing budgets of commercial solutions. Today, Andrew introduces us to three such tools: Hayabusa, Chainsaw, and Timeline Explorer.
Hayabusa
Hayabusa is an open-source tool designed for fast forensic timeline generation and threat detection. It processes Windows event logs using Sigma rules and Hayabusa-specific rules to identify potential threats. Andrew appreciates Hayabusa for its speed and the simplicity of writing detection rules. He highlights its ability to handle large volumes of data quickly, making it an invaluable tool for incident response.
Example Use Case: Andrew recently used Hayabusa in a large-scale incident where a customer’s network was compromised. The tool helped identify lateral movements and multiple instances of malware, ensuring comprehensive threat detection and response.
Chainsaw
Chainsaw complements Hayabusa by offering more granular search capabilities. It allows analysts to search for specific keywords within event logs, making it easier to pinpoint particular threats or compromised accounts. Andrew uses Chainsaw to refine his investigations, especially when dealing with complex incidents involving multiple hosts.
Example Use Case: When a specific user account was suspected of being compromised, Andrew used Chainsaw to search for all activities related to that account, providing a detailed view of the threat landscape.
Timeline Explorer
Both Hayabusa and Chainsaw generate CSV outputs, which can be overwhelming to analyze manually. Timeline Explorer, developed by Eric Zimmerman, simplifies this process by providing an intuitive interface for filtering and visualizing event log data. Andrew prefers Timeline Explorer for its ease of use and powerful data handling capabilities.
Getting Started with These Tools
Andrew encourages cybersecurity professionals to experiment with these tools in a sandbox environment. By setting up a virtual machine and generating event logs through simulated attacks, analysts can see firsthand how these tools detect and report malicious activities.
Open-source tools like Hayabusa, Chainsaw, and Timeline Explorer offer robust solutions for enhancing your DFIR capabilities without the need for expensive commercial software. By integrating these tools into your workflow, you can achieve more efficient and effective threat detection and response.