<!-- Copyright (c) 2026 defconxt. All rights reserved. -->
<!-- Licensed under AGPL-3.0 — see LICENSE file for details. -->
---
name: analyzing-vpc-flow-logs-forensically
description: >-
  Analyze VPC Flow Logs to reconstruct network communication patterns during cloud security incidents.
domain: cybersecurity
subdomain: cloud-forensics
tags:
  - vpc
  - flow-logs
  - network-forensics
  - cloud-security
version: "1.0"
author: defconxt
license: AGPL-3.0
metadata:
  mitre-attack: ["T1071"]
---

# Analyzing VPC Flow Logs Forensically

## Overview

Analyze VPC Flow Logs to reconstruct network communication patterns during cloud security incidents.

## Prerequisites

| Requirement | Install |
|---|---|
| AWS CLI | VPC access |
| Athena | Log querying |
| Python 3.10+ | For agent tooling |

## Key Concepts

VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic metadata. Forensic analysis
reveals lateral movement, data exfiltration, and C2 communication.

## Quick Reference

```bash
aws ec2 describe-flow-logs
node agent.js query --vpc vpc-12345 --hours 24 --filter rejected
node agent.js connections --source 10.0.1.50 --dest-port 443
node agent.js report --investigation VPC-2026-001
```

## Workflow

1. Enable flow log capture
2. Query flow records
3. Map communication patterns
4. Identify lateral movement
5. Detect exfiltration
6. Find C2 channels
7. Document network evidence

## Detection

```yaml
title: Vpc Flow Logs Forensically Detection
id: a93673e6-ddc9-4d02-bdf8-dbd8a95d1018
status: experimental
description: Detects suspicious activity related to analyzing vpc flow logs forensically techniques in cloud forensics context
logsource:
  product: aws
  service: cloudtrail
detection:
  selection:
    eventName: "*Unauthorized*"
  condition: selection
level: high
tags:
  - attack.t1071
  - attack.collection
falsepositives:
  - Scheduled compliance scanning by authorized security tools
```

## Verification

- Verify flow log queries
- Confirm pattern mapping
- Validate lateral detection
- Check exfiltration detection
- Verify evidence preserved

## References

- OWASP Testing Guide — https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/
- MITRE ATT&CK — https://attack.mitre.org/
- NIST SP 800-53 — https://csf.tools/reference/nist-sp-800-53/
