CASE FILE 001
OSINT-Assisted Investigation
Investigation of suspicious network activity involving potential data exfiltration attempts and unauthorized access detection through comprehensive traffic analysis.
Investigation of suspicious network activity involving potential data exfiltration attempts and unauthorized access detection through comprehensive traffic analysis.
On January 15, 2024, network monitoring systems detected unusual outbound traffic patterns from a corporate workstation during non-business hours. Initial analysis indicated potential unauthorized access and possible data exfiltration attempts targeting sensitive business information.
The investigation focused on identifying the source of the intrusion, analyzing the scope of data access, and reconstructing the timeline of events. Network traffic captures, firewall logs, and system logs were collected and preserved following standard forensic procedures.
This case demonstrates proper network forensics methodology including evidence preservation, traffic analysis, timeline reconstruction, and incident documentation suitable for legal proceedings.
What was the source of unauthorized network access and how did the intrusion occur?
What specific data was accessed, transferred, or compromised during the incident?
When did the intrusion occur and what was the duration of unauthorized access?
Network monitoring system detected unusual outbound traffic from workstation WS-1847. Traffic volume exceeded baseline by 340% during non-business hours.
Network packet capture initiated, firewall logs preserved, and system memory dump created from affected workstation following proper forensic procedures.
Packet analysis revealed encrypted data exfiltration attempts to command-and-control server. Initial compromise vector identified as phishing email with malicious attachment.
Investigation completed with comprehensive report documenting attack timeline, evidence of data access, and recommendations for security improvements.
Initial compromise occurred through phishing email containing malicious Microsoft Office document with embedded macros. User executed macro, installing remote access trojan.
Attackers staged sensitive documents in temporary directory before encrypted transmission to external command-and-control server using HTTPS protocol.
Multiple persistence methods established including scheduled tasks, registry modifications, and legitimate service impersonation for long-term access.
The investigation successfully identified a sophisticated cyber intrusion involving data exfiltration through encrypted channels. Evidence indicates the attack began with a phishing email and resulted in unauthorized access to sensitive business documents.
Timeline analysis reveals the intrusion persisted for approximately 72 hours before detection, with active data exfiltration occurring during the final 24 hours. The attack demonstrated advanced persistent threat characteristics including multiple persistence mechanisms and sophisticated evasion techniques.
This case demonstrates the critical importance of network monitoring, rapid incident response, and comprehensive forensic analysis in cybersecurity investigations. Recommendations include enhanced email security, improved user training, and implementation of additional network segmentation.
Some network traffic was encrypted using strong cryptography, limiting analysis of specific data content. Analysis focused on metadata and traffic patterns.
Complete forensic report available for academic and professional review purposes.
* Report contains sanitized information suitable for educational demonstration