Every attack leaves a trail, but in containerized environments, this trail can evaporate before you even realize you have been attacked. These environments bring new challenges for security teams, including an expanding attack surface. Containers, while incredibly powerful, are short-lived, and attackers exploit this by moving quickly and covering their tracks. They often download and execute malware, then silently modify, or delete the files to erase evidence of their actions, making it nearly impossible to trace the original attack. Security teams are often left scrambling to piece together what happened.
Tackling Malware Forensics in Ephemeral Environments
In older IT environments, forensic investigations relied on persistent systems where evidence was easy to find. In the new cloud native era, there are no leftover hard drives or logs to review. These environments introduce unique complexities that security teams are navigating and continuously learning to handle effectively. It is increasingly difficult to catch or analyze threats in time, and detection alone isn’t enough because it only signals that something might be wrong. The real value lies in the investigation, which connects the dots to reveal the full scope of an incident, and provides the details needed to report findings accurately. Without a way to capture and examine malware, critical evidence can go missing, false alarms send critical resources scrambling, and teams risk non-compliance and hefty fines due to incomplete incident reporting. Investigating and understanding malware in cloud native environments requires a different approach to keep up with evolving threats.
Malware File Forensics for Cloud Native Applications
Aqua’s new Malware File Forensics capability solves this major problem: retaining malware evidence in environments where everything is temporary. Malware File Forensics utilizes Aqua’s Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) runtime controls to detect malware in real-time, instead of simply relying on periodic scans. With AMP’s multi-layered detection method, including file hash matching and behavioral pattern analysis, Aqua can identify even the most sophisticated threats such as ransomware, cryptominers, and fileless attacks. The moment this malicious malware is detected, the evidence is automatically captured ensuring it cannot disappear or be tampered with by attackers.
With Malware File Forensics, these files are securely saved. They can be sent to SIEM systems for deeper analysis by Incident Response and SOC teams, helping to determine if an attack occurred and fully understand the incident afterward. This allows teams to maintain detailed records of malicious files, providing solid evidence for audits and building confidence in meeting compliance requirements.
How Aqua’s Malware File Forensics Capability Works
In this demo, you’ll see how Aqua captures malware files, copies the evidence to the host, securely transfers it to Aqua’s cloud storage, and provides the ability to download it for seamless SIEM integration.
Forensic Analysis: A Key to Smarter Runtime Protection
For security teams, Aqua’s Malware File Forensics simplifies the challenges of investigating cloud native malware threats. Preserving malicious files rather than merely flagging or blocking them empowers teams to dive deeper into incidents, reducing noise from false positives and allowing for a more focused response. This not only strengthens compliance reporting but also delivers tangible value.
For organizations still developing their security maturity in cloud native environments, the forensic analysis offers an essential layer of runtime protection. Full-scale blocking controls may be out of reach for some teams due to resource or expertise gaps. Aqua’s approach bridges this gap by providing clear and actionable insights, such as identifying attack patterns, pinpointing vulnerable containers, and offering step-by-step remediation guidance, without introducing unnecessary complexity. This allows security teams to take immediate corrective actions and progressively enhance their defenses over time.
As cloud native environments evolve, Aqua’s Malware File Forensics provides the foundation for smarter, more resilient security practices. Ensuring critical evidence is retained, enabling quick action, and enhancing risk management helps organizations stay ahead of threats while maintaining trust and protecting their business.
