Using Velociraptor for Incident Response - A Practical Guide

Incident response (IR) is a critical process in modern cybersecurity operations, allowing organizations to quickly and effectively respond to threats, contain security breaches, and prevent further damage. One of the tools that has been gaining traction in the incident response community is Velociraptor. This open-source, endpoint forensics and monitoring tool is designed to help incident responders gather forensic data from endpoints at scale in a fast, efficient, and flexible manner.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how Velociraptor can be used for incident response, focusing on its key features, setup process, and use cases that will help security teams manage and mitigate security incidents.

What is Velociraptor?

Velociraptor is an open-source endpoint monitoring, digital forensics, and incident response (DFIR) platform that allows security analysts to collect, query, and analyze endpoint data in real-time. It stands out due to its scalability and flexibility, making it well-suited for organizations of any size.

Some key capabilities of Velociraptor include:

  • Scalable endpoint querying: Velociraptor can collect forensic data from thousands of endpoints in real-time using custom queries.
  • Rapid artifact collection: With Velociraptor, you can rapidly collect forensic artifacts from target systems, including memory dumps, file system metadata, process lists, and more.
  • Remote live monitoring: It allows incident responders to monitor endpoints in real-time without direct physical access.
  • Cross-platform support: Velociraptor works across Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it highly versatile.

Setting Up Velociraptor

Setting up Velociraptor is a relatively simple process, especially for organizations already familiar with incident response tools.

1. Installation

Velociraptor can be installed on a dedicated server or a cloud environment, and it uses a client-server architecture. The server acts as the central control point, while the Velociraptor agent is installed on the endpoints.

To install Velociraptor:

  • Download the Velociraptor binary from the official website.
  • Run the binary on the server to set up the Velociraptor server.
1
2
./velociraptor-v0.x.x-linux-amd64 config generate > velociraptor.config.yaml
./velociraptor-v0.x.x-linux-amd64 --config velociraptor.config.yaml frontend
  • Install the agent on the endpoints using the server-generated configuration file.
2. Configuring the Server

Once the server is running, log into the Velociraptor web UI to configure endpoint groups, set up monitoring, and define artifacts (which are queries that define what forensic data to collect from endpoints).

3. Deploying Agents

Velociraptor agents can be deployed via scripts, endpoint management tools, or manually. These agents will connect back to the server and be ready to accept queries or monitor specific artifacts.

Key Use Cases for Incident Response

Velociraptor can be highly effective across a variety of incident response scenarios, including:

1. Collecting Evidence After a Breach

When a security incident is detected, Velociraptor can be used to collect detailed forensic evidence from compromised endpoints. By creating and running custom queries, you can retrieve information such as:

  • Event logs
  • Network activity
  • Process execution details
  • Recently accessed files

For example, to collect running processes and network connections on a Windows machine, you can run a query using prebuilt artifacts:

1
2
SELECT * FROM pslist()
SELECT * FROM netstat()
2. Hunting for Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

Velociraptor’s querying capabilities make it an excellent tool for hunting IOCs. By creating a set of predefined rules based on known malicious indicators (e.g., hashes, IPs, domain names), incident responders can quickly identify potential compromises across multiple endpoints.

Here’s an example of a query to search for specific file hashes on a system:

1
SELECT * FROM file() WHERE hash == "known_bad_hash_value"
3. Memory Analysis

In advanced persistent threat (APT) scenarios, attackers may deploy malware that operates entirely in memory, leaving little trace on disk. Velociraptor allows you to collect and analyze memory dumps remotely, providing a critical capability in identifying and analyzing malicious in-memory activity.

4. Incident Containment

Once malicious activity is identified, Velociraptor can help incident responders contain the threat. It can be used to:

  • Kill malicious processes remotely.
  • Disconnect infected systems from the network.
  • Disable compromised user accounts.

By combining live endpoint monitoring with remote capabilities, Velociraptor offers a powerful mechanism for containment in active breach scenarios.

Advanced Features

Velociraptor goes beyond basic data collection by enabling deep forensic analysis:

  • VQL (Velociraptor Query Language): Velociraptor’s custom query language, VQL, allows responders to tailor data collection and analysis to their specific needs. It is flexible and powerful, capable of querying system data at a granular level.

  • Custom Artifacts: Users can create their own custom artifacts to collect specific data based on unique needs or ongoing investigations, ensuring that Velociraptor fits into a variety of IR workflows.

  • Scalability: Velociraptor can handle a large number of endpoints, which is essential for large enterprises and MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers) involved in massive IR campaigns.

Best Practices for Using Velociraptor in Incident Response

  1. Predefine Incident Response Playbooks: Setting up predefined playbooks with common queries and workflows can speed up incident response times significantly.

  2. Use Custom Artifacts: Tailor your artifact collection based on the types of incidents you expect. This ensures efficient data collection and reduces noise.

  3. Automate When Possible: Use automation to deploy agents, run queries, and collect evidence across multiple endpoints, reducing manual efforts.

  4. Centralized Logging and Monitoring: Ensure that all Velociraptor data is logged and sent to a centralized monitoring platform (e.g., SIEM) to correlate and analyze data effectively.

Conclusion

Velociraptor is a highly versatile and scalable tool for incident response, offering robust features for endpoint monitoring, forensic artifact collection, and rapid response. Its cross-platform support, ease of deployment, and flexible querying language make it an invaluable addition to any incident responder’s toolkit. Whether you’re dealing with ransomware, insider threats, or advanced persistent threats, Velociraptor can help you rapidly detect, contain, and mitigate security incidents.

By adopting Velociraptor as part of your incident response strategy, you can enhance your organization’s ability to respond to threats with speed and precision, minimizing the impact of security breaches.

Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments section. Stay safe and secure!