Memory forensics analysis is a branch of digital forensics that focuses on analyzing and extracting data from a computer's volatile memory, also known as RAM.

What is forensic analysis of memory?

Forensic analysis of memory It is a specialized branch of digital forensic analysis focused on examining data stored in a computer’s volatile (operational) memory. The goal is to capture information about what was happening in the system at a given moment—such as which processes were running, which files were open, and whether malware or other suspicious activity was present in memory. Unlike disk storage, memory is erased when the computer is turned off, which makes this type of analysis especially critical during an active incident.

How forensic analysis of memory appears in practice

Common use cases in corporate environments:

• Response to a suspected attack – identifying malware that hides only in memory and leaves no trace on disk.
• Detection of so-called fileless malware, which doesn’t use traditional files but runs solely in system memory.
• Gathering evidence of user activity (e.g., launched applications, visited websites) as part of an internal investigation.
• Analyzing attacker behavior – what they did on the compromised device and how they gained access.
• Collecting memory dumps as part of incident response complementing logs and disk images.

This type of analysis helps map the situation in real time or shortly after the attack—and often reveals information that cannot be obtained by other means.

Forensic analysis of memory vs. related terms

• Forensic analysis of memory – focuses on volatile memory (RAM); provides insight into the system’s state at a given moment.
• Digital forensics – broader scope, includes hard drives, networks, mobile devices, etc.
• Malware analysis – in-depth study of malicious code; may be based on disk or memory artifacts.

The key difference lies in where the data is captured and when. Memory forensics is often the only method to detect modern in-memory attacks that don’t leave traces elsewhere.

How to implement forensic analysis of memory in your company

Recommended steps:

1. Include memory forensics in your incident response plan.
2. Train IT staff or external partners in RAM capture techniques (e.g., FTK Imager, DumpIt).
3. Use analysis tools such as Volatility or Rekall for live or post-capture examination.
4. Establish a live response protocol—capture RAM before shutting down compromised systems.
5. Secure memory dumps for possible legal use or future threat analysis.

Many companies rely only on logs or disk backups—but modern threats often live solely in memory. Without memory analysis, they remain invisible. This makes memory forensics not only valuable but in many cases indispensable for effective threat response and digital investigation.