Velociraptor Incident Response

Velociraptor Incident Response

Overview

Velociraptor is an endpoint visibility and forensics platform for collecting host-based state information using Velociraptor Query Language (VQL). It operates in three core modes: Collect (targeted evidence gathering), Monitor (continuous event capture), and Hunt (proactive threat hunting).

When to use this skill:

• Active incident response requiring endpoint evidence collection
• Threat hunting across enterprise infrastructure
• Digital forensics investigations and timeline analysis
• Endpoint monitoring and anomaly detection
• Custom forensic artifact development for specific threats

Quick Start

Local Forensic Triage (Standalone Mode)

# Download Velociraptor binary for your platform
# https://github.com/​Velocidex/​velociraptor/​releases

# Run GUI mode for interactive investigation
velociraptor gui

# Access web interface at https://127.0.0.1:8889/
# Default admin credentials shown in console output

Enterprise Server Deployment

# Generate server configuration
velociraptor config generate > server.config.yaml

# Start server
velociraptor --config server.config.yaml frontend

# Generate client configuration
velociraptor --config server.config.yaml config client > client.config.yaml

# Deploy clients across endpoints
velociraptor --config client.config.yaml client

Core Incident Response Workflows

Workflow 1: Initial Compromise Investigation

Progress: [ ] 1. Identify affected endpoints and timeframe [ ] 2. Collect authentication logs and suspicious logins [ ] 3. Gather process execution history and command lines [ ] 4. Extract network connection artifacts [ ] 5. Collect persistence mechanisms (scheduled tasks, autoruns, services) [ ] 6. Analyze file system modifications and suspicious files [ ] 7. Extract memory artifacts if needed [ ] 8. Build timeline and document IOCs

Work through each step systematically. Check off completed items.

Key VQL Artifacts:

• Windows.EventLogs.RDP - Remote desktop authentication events
• Windows.System.Pslist - Running processes with details
• Windows.Network.NetstatEnriched - Network connections with process context
• Windows.Persistence.PermanentWMIEvents - WMI-based persistence
• Windows.Timeline.Prefetch - Program execution timeline
• Windows.Forensics.Timeline - Comprehensive filesystem timeline

Workflow 2: Threat Hunting Campaign

Progress: [ ] 1. Define threat hypothesis and IOCs [ ] 2. Select or create custom VQL artifacts for detection [ ] 3. Create hunt targeting relevant endpoint groups [ ] 4. Execute hunt across infrastructure [ ] 5. Monitor collection progress and errors [ ] 6. Analyze results and identify positive matches [ ] 7. Triage findings and escalate confirmed threats [ ] 8. Document TTPs and update detections

Work through each step systematically. Check off completed items.

Common Hunt Scenarios:

• Lateral movement detection (PsExec, WMI, remote services)
• Webshell identification on web servers
• Suspicious scheduled task discovery
• Credential dumping tool artifacts
• Malicious PowerShell execution patterns

Workflow 3: Evidence Collection for Forensics

Progress: [ ] 1. Document collection requirements and scope [ ] 2. Create offline collector with required artifacts [ ] 3. Deploy collector to target endpoint(s) [ ] 4. Execute collection and verify completion [ ] 5. Retrieve collection archive [ ] 6. Validate evidence integrity (hashes) [ ] 7. Import into forensic platform for analysis [ ] 8. Document chain of custody

Work through each step systematically. Check off completed items.

# Create offline collector (no server required)
velociraptor --config server.config.yaml artifacts collect \
  Windows.KapeFiles.Targets \
  Windows.EventLogs.Evtx \
  Windows.Registry.Sysinternals.Eulacheck \
  --output /​path/​to/​collection.zip

# For custom artifact collection
velociraptor artifacts collect Custom.Artifact.Name --args param=value

VQL Query Patterns

Pattern 1: Process Investigation

Search for suspicious process execution patterns:

-- Find processes with unusual parent-child relationships
SELECT Pid, Ppid, Name, CommandLine, Username, Exe
FROM pslist()
WHERE Name =~ "(?i)(powershell|cmd|wscript|cscript)"
  AND CommandLine =~ "(?i)(invoke|download|iex|bypass|hidden)"

Pattern 2: Network Connection Analysis

Identify suspicious network connections:

-- Active connections with process context
SELECT Laddr.IP AS LocalIP,
       Laddr.Port AS LocalPort,
       Raddr.IP AS RemoteIP,
       Raddr.Port AS RemotePort,
       Status, Pid,
       process_tracker_get(id=Pid).Name AS ProcessName,
       process_tracker_get(id=Pid).CommandLine AS CommandLine
FROM netstat()
WHERE Status = "ESTABLISHED"
  AND Raddr.IP =~ "^(?!10\\.)" -- External IPs only

Pattern 3: File System Forensics

Timeline suspicious file modifications:

-- Recent file modifications in suspicious locations
SELECT FullPath, Size, Mtime, Atime, Ctime, Btime
FROM glob(globs="C:/​Users/​*/​AppData/​**/​*.exe")
WHERE Mtime > timestamp(epoch=now() - 86400) -- Last 24 hours
ORDER BY Mtime DESC

Pattern 4: Registry Persistence

Hunt for registry-based persistence:

-- Common autorun registry keys
SELECT Key.Name AS RegistryKey,
       ValueName,
       ValueData
FROM read_reg_key(globs="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/​SOFTWARE/​Microsoft/​Windows/​CurrentVersion/​Run/​*")
WHERE ValueData =~ "(?i)(powershell|cmd|wscript|rundll32)"

For comprehensive VQL patterns and advanced queries, see references/​vql-patterns.md

Custom Artifact Development

Create custom VQL artifacts for specific investigation needs:

name: Custom.Windows.SuspiciousProcess
description: |
  Detect processes with suspicious characteristics for incident response.

parameters:
  - name: ProcessNameRegex
    default: "(?i)(powershell|cmd|wscript)"
    type: regex
  - name: CommandLineRegex
    default: "(?i)(invoke|download|bypass)"
    type: regex

sources:
  - query: |
      SELECT Pid, Ppid, Name, CommandLine, Username, Exe, CreateTime
      FROM pslist()
      WHERE Name =~ ProcessNameRegex
        AND CommandLine =~ CommandLineRegex

Save artifacts in YAML format and import via Velociraptor UI or command line.

For artifact development guidance, see references/​artifact-development.md

Security Considerations

• Sensitive Data Handling: VQL queries can collect credentials, PII, and sensitive files. Implement data minimization - only collect necessary evidence. Use encryption for evidence transport and storage.

• Access Control: Velociraptor server access provides significant endpoint control. Implement RBAC, audit all queries, and restrict administrative access. Use client certificates for authentication.

• Audit Logging: All VQL queries, hunts, and collections are logged. Enable audit trail for compliance. Document investigation scope and approvals.

• Compliance: Ensure evidence collection follows organizational policies and legal requirements. Document chain of custody for forensic investigations. Consider data sovereignty for multi-region deployments.

• Operational Security: Velociraptor generates significant endpoint activity. Plan for network bandwidth, endpoint performance impact, and detection by adversaries during covert investigations.

Common Investigation Patterns

Pattern: Ransomware Investigation

1. Identify patient zero endpoint
2. Collect: Windows.Forensics.Timeline for file modification patterns
3. Collect: Windows.EventLogs.Evtx for authentication events
4. Hunt for: Lateral movement artifacts across network
5. Hunt for: Scheduled tasks or services for persistence
6. Extract: Ransomware binary samples for malware analysis
7. Build: Timeline of infection spread and data encryption

Pattern: Data Exfiltration Detection

1. Collect network connection history: Windows.Network.NetstatEnriched
2. Identify large outbound transfers to unusual destinations
3. Correlate with process execution and file access
4. Hunt for: Compression tools or staging directories
5. Examine: Browser downloads and cloud sync activities
6. Review: DNS queries for tunneling or C2 domains
7. Document: Data classification and breach scope

Pattern: Insider Threat Investigation

1. Collect: User authentication and logon events
2. Track: USB device connections and file transfers
3. Monitor: Sensitive file access patterns
4. Review: Email and browser history (with authorization)
5. Analyze: Print spooler activity for document printing
6. Examine: Cloud storage access and uploads
7. Build: User activity timeline with behavioral anomalies

Integration Points

• SIEM Integration: Export VQL results to Splunk, Elastic, or other SIEM platforms for correlation
• Threat Intel Platforms: Enrich IOCs with TIP integrations via VQL plugins
• SOAR Platforms: Trigger automated Velociraptor hunts from SOAR playbooks
• Forensic Suites: Import Velociraptor collections into X-Ways, Autopsy, or EnCase
• EDR Interoperability: Complement EDR with custom VQL detections and forensic depth

Troubleshooting

Issue: High CPU Usage During Collection

Solution:

• Limit concurrent VQL queries using rate() function
• Reduce glob scope to specific directories
• Use --ops_per_second limit when creating offline collectors
• Schedule resource-intensive hunts during maintenance windows

Issue: Client Not Reporting to Server

Solution:

• Verify network connectivity and firewall rules (default: TCP 8000)
• Check client logs: velociraptor --config client.config.yaml logs
• Validate client certificate and enrollment status
• Ensure server frontend is running and accessible

Issue: VQL Query Returns No Results

Solution:

• Test query in local notebook mode first
• Verify filesystem paths use correct syntax (forward slashes)
• Check plugin availability on target OS
• Use log() function to debug query execution
• Review client event logs for permission errors

Bundled Resources

Scripts (scripts/)

• vql_query_builder.py - Generate common VQL queries from templates
• artifact_validator.py - Validate custom artifact YAML syntax
• evidence_collector.sh - Automate offline collector deployment

References (references/)

• vql-patterns.md - Comprehensive VQL query patterns for common IR scenarios
• artifact-development.md - Guide to creating custom forensic artifacts
• mitre-attack-mapping.md - MITRE ATT&CK technique detection artifacts
• deployment-guide.md - Enterprise server deployment and architecture

Assets (assets/)

• artifact-template.yaml - Template for custom artifact development
• hunt-template.yaml - Hunt configuration template with best practices
• offline-collector-config.yaml - Offline collector configuration example

References

• Velociraptor Documentation
• VQL Reference
• Artifact Exchange
• GitHub Repository
• MITRE ATT&CK Framework