Hardware Clock

Overview

Evidence: Hardware Clock Description: Collect hardware clock information Category: Hardware Platform: ESXi Short Name: hwclock Is Parsed: Yes Sent to Investigation Hub: Yes Collect File(s): No

Background

collect hardware clock information on ESXi (VMware vSphere Hypervisor) systems provides valuable forensic information for digital investigations. This data is essential for understanding system activity, detecting security incidents, and investigating system-related events. ESXi systems provide unique insights into virtualization environments and their security configurations.

Data Collected

This collector gathers structured data about hardware clock.

Hardware Clock Data

Field	Description	Example
ID	Primary key (auto-increment)	1
Time	Hardware clock time	2023-10-15 14:30:25
Timezone	Timezone	UTC
RTC	Real-time clock	true

Collection Method

This collector parses the necessary data from ESXi system configuration files and data sources.

Usage

This evidence is crucial for forensic investigations as it provides information about hardware clock on ESXi systems. It helps investigators understand system configuration, detect security incidents, and investigate system-related events. The data can reveal system activity, configuration details, and potential security vulnerabilities. Analysts can use this information to identify suspicious activities, trace system changes, and assess ESXi system security posture.

Notes

This data may contain sensitive information that should be handled according to data protection requirements. Ensure proper chain of custody is maintained during collection and analysis.