Hibernation File

Overview

Evidence: Hibernation File Description: Dump Hibernation File Category: Memory Platform: Windows Short Name: hbr Is Parsed: No - Raw hibernation file Sent to Investigation Hub: Yes Collect File(s): No

Background

When Windows hibernates, it saves the complete contents of RAM to the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys). This creates a snapshot of all running processes, kernel state, and memory contents at the time of hibernation.

The hibernation file is essentially a compressed memory dump and can be analyzed with memory forensics tools. It persists even after the system resumes from hibernation.

Data Collected

Field	Description	Example
Type	File type	HibernationFile
Name	File name	hiberfil.sys
SourcePath	Original file path	C:\hiberfil.sys
FilePath	Relative path in evidence	Files/hiberfil.sys
FileSize	File size in bytes	17179869184

Collection Method

This collector collects the hibernation file from:

• C:\hiberfil.sys (default location)

The file is collected using driver or NTFS raw access if locked.

Usage

Hibernation files provide a complete memory snapshot from a specific point in time. Investigators use this data for full memory forensic analysis, recovering historical system state, extracting credentials and keys from point of hibernation, analyzing malware present at hibernation time, and reconstructing system state from past hibernation.

Known Limitations

• Only present if hibernation has been used

• May not exist if hibernation is disabled

• Can be very large (compressed RAM size)

• Represents state at last hibernation, not current

• Requires hibernation-aware memory forensics tools

Notes

Tools like Volatility and Rekall can convert hiberfil.sys to raw memory format for analysis. The hibernation file represents a snapshot from the last hibernation event, which may be hours, days, or weeks old.