Forensic Search API

Overview

This article explains how to use the Code42 API with Forensic Search. While the Code42 console contains a flexible and powerful web interface for Forensic Search to perform searches and view results, the File Events API provides additional capabilities for performing more complicated or customized searches.

Following are the File Events API resources:

/v1/file-events: Search file activity and receive results in JSON format
/v1/file-events/export: Search file activity receive results in CSV format
/v1/file-events/grouping: Group file activity results by a particular value and receive a count of unique events in each group

Considerations

The tasks in this article require use of the Code42 API.
- If you are not familiar with using Code42 APIs, review Code42 API syntax and usage.
- For assistance with using the Code42 API, contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to engage the Code42 Professional Services team. Or, post your question to the Code42 community to get advice from fellow Code42 administrators.
The examples in this article use the command line tool curl to interact with the Code42 API. For a list of tools that can be used to interact with the API, see Tools for interacting with the Code42 API.
To perform tasks in this article, you must:
- Have the Customer Cloud Admin or Security Center User role.
- Know the request URL of your Code42 cloud instance.
- Obtain an authentication token and a tenant ID.

Forensic Search API structure and syntax

Groups and filters

Forensic Search API queries are organized by groups of filters. This structure facilitates complicated requests with multiple AND or OR conditions. For example, use case 1 in the Sample use cases section searches for files matching any one of 11 different file extensions that also exist in any one of nine different locations. Search queries are limited to a total of 1,024 criteria per request.

For example, the JSON below uses two groups of filters:

The first group uses a filterClause value of OR, which returns results if any of the four MD5 values are found (db349b97c37d22f5ea1d1841e3c89eb4 or 84c82835a5d21bbcf75a61706d8ab549 or f351e1fcca0c4ea05fc44d15a17f8b36 or 7bf2b57f2a205768755c07f238fb32cc).
The second group uses a filterClause value of AND, which returns results only if all criteria in the filter are met (in this example, on or after 2018-02-01 and on or before 2018-02-07).
Finally, to link these two groups together, the groupClause value of AND returns results only if both the first group and second group criteria are met.

{
  "groups": [
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "db349b97c37d22f5ea1d1841e3c89eb4"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "84c82835a5d21bbcf75a61706d8ab549"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "f351e1fcca0c4ea05fc44d15a17f8b36"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "7bf2b57f2a205768755c07f238fb32cc"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "OR"
    },
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "ON_OR_AFTER",
          "term": "eventTimestamp",
          "value": "2018-02-01T00:00:00.00Z"
        },
        {
          "operator": "ON_OR_BEFORE",
          "term": "eventTimestamp",
          "value": "2018-02-07T23:59:59.59Z"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "AND"
    }
  ],
  "groupClause": "AND",
  "pgNum": 1,
  "pgSize": 100,
  "srtDir": "asc",
  "srtKey": "eventTimestamp"
}

Sample request

This simple example demonstrates a search for all files on all devices with the file extension .docx that exist anywhere except the file path C:/Users. For more complicated examples with multiple groups and additional filters, see the sample use cases in the next section.

Use the following as a starting point for your own searches:

Replace <RequestURL> with the request URL of your Code42 cloud instance.
Replace <AuthToken> with the authentication token.
Replace the content of the -d section with your specific search criteria.

curl -X POST <RequestURL>/v1/file-events \
-H 'content-type: application/json' \
-H "authorization: Bearer <AuthToken>" \
-d '{
    "groups": [{
        "filters": [{
            "operator": "IS",
            "term": "fileName",
            "value": "*.docx"
        },
        {
            "operator": "IS_NOT",
            "term": "filePath",
            "value": "C:/Users*"
        }
    ],
    "filterClause": "AND"
    }],
    "groupClause": "AND",
    "pgNum": 1,
    "pgSize": 100
}'

Note: To receive results in CSV format instead of JSON, use the /v1/file-events/export resource instead of /v1/file-events.

API limits

Request rate: To ensure optimal performance throughout your Code42 environment, Code42 limits API requests to 120 per minute. Requests that exceed this limit are blocked and do not return results.
Result set:
- file-events results are limited to 10,000 events per request. Requesting a page number that exceeds these limits returns an error (for example, a file-events query with pgSize=10000 cannot display pgNum=2). To obtain more than 10,000 results, use the pgToken and nextPgToken request fields to submit multiple requests. (For pgToken implementation details, see the /v1/file-events API documentation.)
- file-events/export queries are limited to 200,000 events.
- file-events/grouping queries are limited to 1,000 groups

Sample Use Cases

Use case 1: Search for application files in unexpected locations

The sample JSON below shows how to search for files with any of these extensions (.action, .app, .bat, .bin, .cmd, .com, .command, .cpl, .exe, .msc, .osx) that exist outside these locations:

C:\Program Files
/Applications
/Library
/User/*/Applications
/User/*/Library
/usr/bin
/usr/local/bin
/sbin
/bin

Sample JSON search query for application files in specific locations

Modify this sample to fit your environment and then include it in a request (as shown in the Sample request section above).

{
  "groups": [
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.action"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.app"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.bat"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.bin"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.cmd"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.com"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.command"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.cpl"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.exe"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.msc"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "fileName",
          "value": "*.osx"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "OR"
    },
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "C:\\Program Files*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/Applications*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/Library*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/User/*/Applications*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/User/*/Library*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/usr/bin*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/usr/local/bin*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/sbin*"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS_NOT",
          "term": "filePath",
          "value": "/bin*"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "AND"
    }
  ],
  "groupClause": "AND",
  "pgNum": 1,
  "pgSize": 100,
  "srtDir": "asc",
  "srtKey": "eventTimestamp"
}

Sample results of application files in specific locations

{
  "totalCount": 3,
  "fileEvents": [
    {
      "eventId": "0_1dcc9b7c-123d-40d7-b0fb-436520b2cab8_843278037859030533_843318595055164516_6",
      "eventType": "CREATED",
      "eventTimestamp": "2018-04-10T23:57:33.682Z",
      "filePath": "C:/$GetCurrent/SafeOS/",
      "fileName": "SetupComplete.cmd",
      "fileType": "FILE",
      "fileSize": 307,
      "fileOwner": "Administrators",
      "md5Checksum": "0582b19fa3b500db28f976ed33efa487",
      "createTimestamp": "2018-03-19T18:10:42.041Z",
      "modifyTimestamp": "2018-03-19T18:10:42.120Z",
      "deviceUserName": "clyde@example.com",
      "osHostName": "CO-SAMPLE-1",
      "domainName": "192.0.2.0",
      "publicIpAddress": "192.0.2.0",
      "privateIpAddresses": [
        "2001:db8:49a3:7d3:1309:8a2e:370:7342",
        "192.0.4.0",
        "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
        "127.0.0.1"
      ],
      "deviceUid": "423278037859030542",
      "userUid": "424242424242424242"
    },
    {
      "eventId": "0_1dcc9b7c-123d-40d7-b0fb-436520b2cab8_843278037859030533_843318595055164516_7",
      "eventType": "CREATED",
      "eventTimestamp": "2018-04-10T23:57:33.682Z",
      "filePath": "C:/$GetCurrent/SafeOS/",
      "fileName": "preoobe.cmd",
      "fileType": "FILE",
      "fileSize": 74,
      "fileOwner": "Administrators",
      "md5Checksum": "2f9537b7f7cb5b559ed6ec3694832fe6",
      "createTimestamp": "2018-03-19T18:10:41.936Z",
      "modifyTimestamp": "2018-03-19T18:10:42.041Z",
      "deviceUserName": "paige@example.com",
      "osHostName": "CO-SAMPLE-2",
      "domainName": "192.0.2.0",
      "publicIpAddress": "192.0.2.0",
      "privateIpAddresses": [
        "2001:db8:49a3:7d3:1309:8a2e:370:7342",
        "192.0.4.0",
        "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
        "127.0.0.1"
      ],
      "deviceUid": "423278037859030542",
      "userUid": "424242424242424243"
    },
    {
      "eventId": "0_1dcc9b7c-123d-40d7-b0fb-436520b2cab8_843278037859030533_843419521787010148_344",
      "eventType": "CREATED",
      "eventTimestamp": "2018-04-11T16:40:11.090Z",
      "filePath": "C:/Windows/en-US/",
      "fileName": "bootfix.bin",
      "fileType": "FILE",
      "fileSize": 1024,
      "fileOwner": "TrustedInstaller",
      "md5Checksum": "eb145d5f87ddf43c8bd6f27e97db8bf2",
      "createTimestamp": "2017-09-29T14:41:10.345Z",
      "modifyTimestamp": "2017-09-29T14:41:10.346Z",
      "deviceUserName": "clyde@example.com",
      "osHostName": "CO-SAMPLE-3",
      "domainName": "192.0.4.0",
      "publicIpAddress": "192.0.4.0",
      "privateIpAddresses": [
        "2001:db8:49a3:7d3:1309:8a2e:370:7342",
        "192.0.4.0",
        "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
        "127.0.0.1"
      ],
      "deviceUid": "423278037859030542",
      "userUid": "424242424242424242"
    }
  ],
  "problems": null
}

Use case 2: Search for files on a device within a specific date range based on MD5 values

The sample JSON below shows how to search for files files matching any of four MD5 values that existed on devices between February 1 and 7, 2018.

Note: To search for SHA256 hash values instead of MD5, replace md5Checksum with sha256Checksum in the sample JSON below.

Sample JSON search query for MD5 values between two dates

Modify this sample to fit your environment and then include it in a request (as shown in the Sample request section above).

{
  "groups": [
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "db349b97c37d22f5ea1d1841e3c89eb4"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "84c82835a5d21bbcf75a61706d8ab549"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "f351e1fcca0c4ea05fc44d15a17f8b36"
        },
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "md5Checksum",
          "value": "7bf2b57f2a205768755c07f238fb32cc"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "OR"
    },
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "ON_OR_AFTER",
          "term": "eventTimestamp",
          "value": "2018-02-01T00:00:00.00Z"
        },
        {
          "operator": "ON_OR_BEFORE",
          "term": "eventTimestamp",
          "value": "2018-02-07T23:59:59.59Z"
        }
      ],
      "filterClause": "AND"
    }
  ],
  "groupClause": "AND",
  "pgNum": 1,
  "pgSize": 100,
  "srtDir": "asc",
  "srtKey": "eventTimestamp"
}

Sample results of file events matching the MD5 values and date range

{
  "totalCount": 2,
  "fileEvents": [
    {
      "eventId": "0_1dcc9b7c-123d-40d7-b0fb-436520b2cab8_843278037859030533_843279264407737861_1",
      "eventType": "CREATED",
      "eventTimestamp": "2018-02-04T18:40:37.790Z",
      "filePath": "C:/Windows/",
      "fileName": "mssecsvc.exe",
      "fileType": "FILE",
      "fileSize": 282,
      "fileOwner": "clyde",
      "md5Checksum": "db349b97c37d22f5ea1d1841e3c89eb4",
      "createTimestamp": "2018-02-03T15:43:29.388Z",
      "modifyTimestamp": "2018-02-04T15:13:28.783Z",
      "deviceUserName": "clyde@example.com",
      "osHostName": "CO-SAMPLE-01",
      "domainName": "192.0.2.0",
      "publicIpAddress": "192.0.2.0",
      "privateIpAddresses": [
        "2001:db8:49a3:7d3:1309:8a2e:370:7342",
        "192.0.4.0",
        "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
        "127.0.0.1"
      ],
      "deviceUid": "425916091791253442",
      "userUid": "424242424242424242"
    },
    {
      "eventId": "0_1dcc9b7c-123d-40d7-b0fb-436520b2cab8_843278037859030533_843317905847131236_1",
      "eventType": "MODIFIED",
      "eventTimestamp": "2018-02-02T23:50:42.294Z",
      "filePath": "C:/Users/Paige/Downloads/",
      "fileName": "tasksche.exe",
      "fileType": "FILE",
      "fileSize": 282,
      "fileOwner": "paige",
      "md5Checksum": "84c82835a5d21bbcf75a61706d8ab549",
      "createTimestamp": "2018-02-01T15:43:29.388Z",
      "modifyTimestamp": "2018-02-02T23:47:04.336Z",
      "deviceUserName": "paige@example.com",
      "osHostName": "CO-SAMPLE-02",
      "domainName": "192.0.4.0",
      "publicIpAddress": "192.0.4.0",
      "privateIpAddresses": [
        "2001:db8:49a3:7d3:1309:8a2e:370:7342",
        "192.0.4.0",
        "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
        "127.0.0.1"
      ],
      "deviceUid": "423278037859030542",
      "userUid": "424242424242424243"
    }
  ],
  "problems": null
}

Use case 3: See all cloud sync destinations for a user

The sample JSON below shows how to use the /v1/file-events/grouping resource to find an approximate count of Synced to cloud service file events for a specific user for each cloud service. This sample groups by the syncDestination value, but you can choose any groupingTerm listed in the /v1/file-events/grouping API documentation in your requests.

Sample JSON search query for cloud service file event counts

Modify this sample to fit your environment and then include it in a request (as shown in the Sample request section above). For grouping queries, you must use the /v1/file-events/grouping resource.

{
  "groupingTerm": "syncDestination",
  "groups": [
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "operator": "IS",
          "term": "deviceUserName",
          "value": "clyde@example.com"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Sample results of cloud service file event counts

{
  "groups": [
    {
      "value": "Dropbox",
      "docCount": 114
    },
    {
      "value": "Google Drive",
      "docCount": 8
    }
  ]
}

Missing or unknown values

Some file events may not capture all metadata. Reasons for omitted metadata can include:

The file did not exist on disk long enough for Code42 to capture all the metadata.
Several values, including deviceUserName and userUid, are captured and reported from the Code42 cloud instead of directly from the user device. If those values haven't been reported yet, they may be blank or may display as UNKNOWN or NAME_NOT_AVAILABLE.