Registry Analysis
The Windows registry contains information that is helpful during a forensic analysis. It is an excellent source for evidential data, and knowing the type of information that could possibly exist in the registry and its location is critical during the forensic analysis process.
Recent opened Programs/Files/URLs
MRU is the abbreviation for the most frequently used. This key maintains a list of recently opened or saved files via Windows Explorer-style dialogue boxes (Open/Save dialogue box). For instance, files (e.g. .txt, .pdf, htm, .jpg) that are recently opened or saved files from within a web browser are maintained. Documents that are opened or saved via Microsoft Office programs are not maintained. Whenever a new entry is added to the OpenSaveMRU key, the registry value is created or updated in
This key correlates to the previous OpenSaveMRU key to provide extra information: each binary registry value under this key contains a recently used program executable filename and the folder path of a file to which the program has been used to open or save it.
The list of files recently opened directly from Windows Explorer is stored into
This key corresponds to %USERPROFILE%Recent (My Recent Documents) and contains local or network files that are recently opened and only the filename in binary form is stored.
Start>Run
The list of entries executed using the Start>Run command is maintained in this key:
If a file is executed via the Run command, it will leave traces in the previous two keys, OpenSaveMRU and RecentDocs. Deleting the subkeys in RunMRU does not remove the history list in the Run command box immediately. Content of RunMRU Key: Using the Windows “Recent Opened Documents” Clear List feature via Control Panel>Taskbar and Start Menu, an attacker can remove the Run command history list. In fact, executing the Clear List function will remove the following registry keys and their subkeys:
UserAssist
This key contains two GUID subkeys: each subkey maintains a list of system objects such as program, shortcut, and control panel applets a user has accessed. Registry values under these subkeys are weakly encrypted using the ROT-13 algorithm, which basically substitutes a character with another character 13 positions away from it in the ASCII table.
Recent URLs
This key contains a listing of 25 recent URLs (or file path) that is typed in the Internet Explorer (IE) or Windows Explorer address bar: the key will only show links that are fully typed, automatically completed while typing, or links that are selected from the list of stored URLs in IE address bar. Websites that are accessed via IE Favourites are not recorded, and if the user clears the URL history using Clear History via IE Internet Options menu, this key will be completely removed.
Pagefile
This key maintains the configuration of Windows virtual memory: the paging file (usually C:pagefile.sys) may contain evidential information that could be removed once the suspect computer is shutdown.
This key contains a registry value called ClearPagefileAtShutdown, which specifies whether Windows should clear the paging file when the computer shuts down (by default, Windows does not clear the paging file). During a forensic analysis, you should check this value before shutting down a suspect computer!
Windows Search
This key contains recent search terms using Windows default search. There may be up to four subkeys:
5001: Contains a list of terms used for the Internet Search Assistant
5603: Contains the list of terms used for the Windows files and folders search
5604: Contains a list of terms used in the “word or phrase in a file” search
5647: Contains a list of terms used in the “for computers or people” search
Installed Programs
All programs listed in Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs correspond to one subkey into this key:
Subkeys usually contain these two common registry values:
DisplayName — program name
UninstallString — application Uninstall the component’s file path, which indirectly refers to the application installation path. Other useful registry values may exist, including information on the install date, install source, and application version.
Mounted Drives
The list of mounted devices, with associated persistent volume names and unique internal identifiers for respective devices, is contained into
This key lists any mounted volume and assigns a drive letter, including USB storage devices and external DVD/CDROM drives. From the listed registry values, the value’s name that starts with “DosDevices” and ends with the associated drive letter contains information regarding that particular mounted device. Similar information is also contained in:
Which is located under the respective device GUID subkey and in the binary registry value named Data. This key is a point of interest during a forensic analysis: the key records shared on remote systems such as C$, Temp$, etc. The existence of ProcDump indicates the dumping of credentials within lsass.exe address space. Sc.exe indicates the addition of persistence, such as Run keys or services. The presence of .rar files may indicate data exfiltration.
The history of recently mapped network drives is stored into
In addition, a permanent subkey (unless manually removed from the registry) regarding the mapped network drive is also created in
and the subkey is named in the form of ##servername#sharedfolder.
USB Storage
The key:
Contains additional information about the list of mounted USB storage devices, including external memory cards. When used in conjunction with two previous keys, it will provide evidential information.
Autorun
There are different keys related to the automatic running of programs.
This first key usually contains programs or component paths that are automatically run during system startup without requiring user interaction: malware usually leaves a trace in this key to be persistent whenever the system reboots.
RunServices and RunServicesOnce
Can control automatic startup of services. They can be assigned to a specific user account or to a computer:
Command Processor Autorun
This key contains command that is automatically executed each time cmd.exe is run:
Modification to this key requires administrative privilege. Usually, malware exploits this feature to load itself without the user’s knowledge.
Winlogon
This key has a registry value named Shell with default data Explorer.exe.
Malware appends the malware executable file to the default value’s data to stay persistence across system reboots and logins (modification to this key requires administrative privilege).
Services
This key contains a list of Windows services:
Each subkey represents a service and contains the service’s information, such as startup configuration and executable image path.
Debugging
This key allows an administrator to map an executable filename to a different debugger source, allowing the user to debug a program using a different program:
Modification to this key requires administrative privilege. This feature could be exploited to launch a completely different program under the cover of the initial program.
File Extensions
This key contains instructions to execute any .exe extension file:
Normally, this key contains one default value with data “%1” %. Still, if the value’s data is changed to something similar to somefilename.exe “%1” %, the investigator should suspect another hidden program invoked automatically when the actual .exe file is executed. Malware normally modifies this value to load itself covertly. This technique applies to other similar keys, including:
Windows Protect Storage
Protected Storage is a service used by Microsoft products to provide a secure area to store private information. Information that could be stored in Protected Storage includes, for example, Internet Explorer AutoComplete strings and passwords, Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express accounts’ passwords. Windows Protected Storage is maintained under this key:
Registry Editor hides these registry keys from users viewing, including administrators.
Windows Registry Enumeration
Operating System Information
Product Name
Installation Date
Registered Name
System Boot Information
Timezone Information (in minutes from UTC)
Map of Network Drivers
Mounted Devices
USB Devices
Password keys LSA secret cat certain VPN, autologon, other passwords
Capture Startup Applications
Kernel and User Services
Software Installed in the System
Installed Software for the User
Latest Documents
The Last Positions of the User
URLs Typed
MRU Lists
The Last Registry Key Used
Launch Paths
Activation of Remote Desktop
Important Registry Keys
There are many other registry keys of interest, the following are some of those keys:
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