Containers-based forensics for persistent and stateless containers

Abstract

Comprehensive systems and methods for conducting digital forensics and incident response in containerized computing environments. The system converts stateless containers into persistent containers to prevent automatic termination during forensic investigations. It quarantines the containers using virtual switches and firewalls, captures detailed forensic data including snapshots of all filesystem layers, kernel syscalls, and process data, and mirrors network traffic for secure analysis. The system retrieves logs and artifacts from current and previous nodes, correlates and compares this data using machine learning algorithms, and securely duplicates all artifacts to immutable storage. Automated orchestration ensures consistent execution of forensic processes, and the system reverts containers to their original stateless state post-investigation. A detailed audit log and secure archival of all forensic data are maintained for future reference or legal compliance. The invention addresses the unique challenges of securing and analyzing data in dynamic, distributed containerized environments.