IT Forensics · Linux

Forensic analysis of Cloud Init configuration – Forensic investigation of automated system initialisation

Cloud-Init is a widely used tool for the automated initial configuration of Linux instances in cloud environments; it processes configuration data provided by the relevant cloud provider when the system is first started.

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The configuration data processed and logged by Cloud-Init can provide information about the initial settings, user accounts and keys with which an instance was originally provisioned.

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Since its foundation, LanCologne has specialised in professional IT forensics. Our staff have decades of experience in the field of information technology and assist companies, solicitors, private individuals and, on a regular basis, the courts in the technical investigation of complex digital matters.

The examination is, as a matter of principle, carried out exclusively on a forensic copy, a forensic image or a data source captured in a technically equivalent manner that preserves the integrity of the evidence. The original evidence remains unchanged and is stored in a manner that preserves its integrity.

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We analyse Cloud Init configuration files and associated logs, and use them to reconstruct the initial configuration of a cloud instance, including any user accounts created and keys stored.

Typical areas of application

•Reconstruction of the initial instance configuration
•Evidence of automatically created user accounts and SSH keys
•Investigation into unauthorised modifications to Cloud Init configurations
•Determining the origin of a cloud instance
•Incident Response on Linux Systems
•Judicial and non-judicial expert reports

This is how a Cloud Init analysis works

Once the backup has been completed, the Cloud Init configuration files and associated log files are fully captured and analysed. The initial configuration reconstructed from these is compared with the current system state in order to identify any subsequent changes.

Why is the Cloud Init analysis relevant from a forensic perspective?

The initial configuration of an instance via Cloud-Init can provide information about its originally intended purpose and the access rights that have been set up.

Subsequent tampering with the Cloud Init configuration – for example, to set up additional, unauthorised access upon a system restart – is a potential persistence mechanism that is being specifically investigated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does Cloud-Init do?+
It processes configuration data provided by the cloud provider and automatically sets up user accounts, keys and other settings when the system is first started.
Is the system reconfigured by Cloud-Init every time it restarts?+
As a rule, the full initial configuration only takes place on the first start-up; subsequent restarts usually only carry out limited checks.
Could SSH keys created in this way be of forensic relevance?+
Yes, particularly if additional keys have been stored without authorisation via a tampered Cloud Init configuration.

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Do you require a professional forensic investigation into „forensic analysis of Cloud-Init configuration"? LanCologne can assist you with the court-admissible preservation of digital evidence and the traceable analysis of relevant Linux artefacts.

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