Scheduling Tasks
Proactive DFIR and automated threat analysis by scheduling AIR Evidence Collections
Last updated
Proactive DFIR and automated threat analysis by scheduling AIR Evidence Collections
Last updated
Scheduling tasks in AIR not only enables the automation of acquisitions and DRONE analysis, but it transforms AIR into a proactive DFIR platform. By setting up scheduled tasks for regular collections and automated DRONE analysis, AIR can proactively identify issues that might well go unnoticed by other security systems.
Instead of waiting for alerts from external sources, AIR takes the initiative to regularly collect and analyze assets according to a predefined schedule and acquisition profile. This proactive approach allows organizations to stay ahead of potential threats and vulnerabilities by detecting issues early on, even before they manifest as security incidents.
By incorporating the scheduling of tasks into security operations, organizations can enhance defense strategies and bolster their overall security posture. Additionally, it ensures that the 'best evidence' is automatically acquired and forensically preserved, facilitating further investigation when needed.
Investigators simply use the tasking wizard to schedule tasks the following activities:
Evidence collections.
Triage/Threat Hunting.
Disk and Volume Imaging.
Auto Asset Tagging.
To set up a scheduled task please follow the steps below:
Choose the Asset(s) on which you wish to shedule tasks - the Bulk Action Bar will be avaiable if yo choose more than one asset
Create a Task Name if required
Allocate the task to a case
Select 'Schedule for later'
Choose the timezone that will determine when the task is executed. You have the flexibility to execute the task in the local timezone of each selected asset or simultaneously across all assets by choosing a single timezone.
Select a start date and time for the task.
If required toggle on the Repeat switch and set the cadence/recurrence rate.
Select when or whether you want to end the schedule.
Lastly, choose the acquisition profile you wish to apply for the scheduled task.
Note: Scheduled tasks cannot be repeated within a "Case". This is because there is no destination for the task results when a Case is closed, leaving them without a location to be sent to.
AIR administrators can now restrict users from scheduling tasks or editing existing ones:
Schedule Task: Enables users to "Schedule for later." Without this privilege, this option is disabled, and a tooltip explains the restriction.
Update Scheduled Task: Allows users to edit scheduled tasks. If this privilege is not granted, the "Edit" button is disabled with an explanatory tooltip.
This step allows you to use the policies already set as an organizational policy or, if you have the necessary privileges, make changes to:
Where the collected evidence is to be saved.
Apply Resource limit to the task assignment to reduce potential impacts on the asset.
Enable compression and encryption to be applied to the collected evidence.
In this final step you can enable or disable the DRONE and MITRE ATT&CK Analyzers
We highly recommend keeping both analyzers active as they have minimal impact on resources. The MITRE ATT&CK analyzer runs on live assets and, when combined with other analyzers, facilitates immediate identification of potentially compromised assets. This allows for efficient prioritization of investigative efforts.
The results of scheduled tasks and their associated reports can be found in three places:
Tasks that are accessed via the main menu.
The page for the individual Asset > Acquisitions.
And finally, Case Acquisitions, if the task is sent to a Case.
1) Accessing the scheduled Task report via Assets:
Selecting the ‘eye icon’, under the Actions column as shown above, will give you access to the Details view for the Task, and from here you can access the report associated with this scheduled task acquisition:
2) Below we see the same report being accessed from the Assets menu:
3) And finally the same report from the Case Acquisition page but only if you have sent it here:
Tasks scheduled through the console will execute as planned. However, if an asset is offline at the scheduled time, it will automatically receive and carry out the task upon its next connection.
Managing scheduled tasks has never been easier. The Edit Scheduled Task feature lets you modify existing scheduled tasks avoiding the need to cancel and reconfigure them.
You can easily add or remove assets without restarting the task, saving valuable time and improving workflow efficiency. After selecting the assets, you can then go on to update the task setup, customize options, and manage follow-up actions, streamlining task management for a smoother, faster process.
To modify a scheduled task, go to your Task listings page and filter by Status > Scheduled to display only the scheduled tasks:
From the filtered results, selecting the ‘eye’ icon presents to you with the Edit or Delete Task options:
The Edit Scheduled Task Wizard will now open, allowing the user to toggle off the "Only Selected Assets" switch (as shown below). This now reveals all other available assets that can be added to the scheduled task:
Step 2, the Setup, allows you to edit the Task Name, the Schedule and even the acquisition profile to be used:
Steps 3 and 4, Customization and Follow-Up, are fully configurable, giving you the ability to completely edit the scheduled task as needed.
