AX320 Axiom Internet & Cloud Investigations

This course is an intermediate-level four-day training course, designed for participants who are somewhat familiar with the principles of digital forensics and who are seeking to expand their knowledge base into cloud-based and social media forensics including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Dropbox, Box, and generic email services. Students will learn multiple techniques in order to acquire data from these services including self-sign in, download your data, warrant returns, and API extractions with Magnet Axiom. This course will leverage Magnet Axiom as well as open-source tools and techniques to improve cloud-based acquisitions and investigations.

‍

Course Modules

Module 1: Cloud investigations
• Most investigations do not start directly in the Cloud but instead with a user’s device. Students will learn how to track investigation points left behind on devices including web history, email, installed applications, and sign-ins.
• A methodology will be taught for these types of investigations and when they can be appropriately used.

Module 2: OSINT investigations
• Before diving directly into the protected data, users can gain information on what is publicly available for a suspect or target.
• A workflow of using OSINT or Open-Source Intelligence gathering will be covered, as well as proper techniques and popular services to gather this information.

Module 3: Apple
• Apple has cloud-based storage available for multiple pieces of their platform. iCloud Drive and iCloud-stored backups can be a crucial part of an investigation.
• This module will cover iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, iCloud Backups, and Apple’s “Download your Data” information.

Module 4: Google
• Google powers more than our favourite search engine—it also has multiple messaging platforms, cloud storage, enterprise solutions, and mountains of web-based storage including web history and passwords.
• We will investigate several of the platforms available from this service including Gmail, Google Drive, and popular data return services known as Google Takeout.

Module 5: Microsoft
• Microsoft has created a cloud platform responsible for syncing information from multiple local services with other devices and with the Cloud itself thanks to their OneDrive service.
• This module will cover how to investigate Microsoft accounts found on PCs and how to take that information to what is available on Microsoft’s own servers.

Module 6: Twitter
• Learn how to collect information from Twitter directly—including IP addresses where users have accessed the platform, publicly available “tweets” and connected individuals, as well as retrieving private messages using Magnet Axiom Cloud.

Module 7: Facebook
• This module will cover ways to find activities of Facebook usage on devices, what information can be gathered from Facebook directly, and what information can be gathered from available web scraping through Magnet Axiom to download Facebook data—including wall posts, friends, and messages through Facebook Messenger.

Module 8: Instagram
• Instagram has gone beyond simply a picture-hosting service, to becoming a heavily used chat service platform in the form of Direct Messages (otherwise known as DMs).
• This module will cover how to collect information that is both public and privately available from this service, as well as downloaded photos using both the Magnet Axiom Cloud APIs and publicly available web scrapers.

Module 9: Dropbox
• The amount of data stored in the Cloud goes well beyond simple social media platforms. One of the long-standing services that still remains incredibly popular is the Dropbox service.
• This module will discuss what information can be gathered from Dropbox directly, by requesting information from the providers, and what information can be collected by directly downloading it using Magnet Axiom.

Module 10: Box
• Box, another popular cloud-storage platform, will be investigated.
• Examiners will walk through creating their own cloud accounts for this service, what is available, and how that data can be acquired using tools like Magnet Axiom.

Module 11: Email
• What if the subject or target is running their own email server? Or instead, is using a lesser-known service that isn’t covered by the ones mentioned above?
• In these cases, Magnet Axiom has the ability to directly acquire data from generic POP3 or SMTP services that will be covered in this module, as well as how that information can be used in the furtherance of other investigations.

Module 12: Cumulative review
• Using the techniques and information gathered throughout the week, students will finish the investigation that has been worked throughout each separate module.
• The final exercise will feature a scenario on how to investigate cloud-based data utilising only the information collected from the Cloud.