This case study documents the successful forensic recovery of a 25 GB MySQL 8.0 database following a malicious server breach. By utilizing professional carving techniques to extract orphaned physical table files, the AS Data Recovery team ensured a 100% restoration of the client’s critical business data.

Client & Data Information

• Client Name: Confidential
• Data Type: MySQL 8.0 (InnoDB Engine)
• Data Capacity: 25 GB
• Primary Issue: Server Compromise / Malicious Database Deletion

Incident Summary

The client’s production server was targeted by an unauthorized intrusion, resulting in the total deletion of the MySQL 8.0 database. This “logical wipe” was intended to disrupt business operations and eliminate all transaction history. Standard database recovery commands were ineffective as the directory structure had been purged. The client contacted the AS Data Recovery emergency unit to perform a deep-level forensic extraction before any system logs could overwrite the deleted data.

Technical Analysis

Upon forensic analysis of the server partitions, AS Data Recovery engineers identified:

• Physical File Persistence: Although the MySQL service no longer “saw” the databases, the underlying .ibd (data) and undo logs had not yet been physically scrubbed from the disk sectors.
• MySQL 8.0 Metadata Complexity: MySQL 8.0 integrates metadata into the data files themselves (SDI – Serialized Dictionary Information). Our tools successfully located these SDI headers to accurately reconstruct the table schemas.
• Recovery Feasibility: A deep scan of the partition confirmed that the data pages were 100% intact within the unallocated space.

Recovery Solution

The recovery strategy focused on Physical File Extraction and SDI Parsing. Our engineers bypassed the corrupted operating system and database service layers, interacting directly with the raw disk partitions. By identifying the unique signatures of the MySQL 8.0 InnoDB pages, we extracted the physical fragments and reassembled them into a functional database structure.

Recovery Process

• Forensic Partition Imaging: Immediately created a bit-for-bit clone of the server storage to prevent any background write operations from destroying the deleted data.
• Raw Sector Carving: Utilized AS Data Recovery’s proprietary tools to scan for InnoDB page headers and Serialized Dictionary Information (SDI).
• Physical Table Reconstruction: Extracted the orphan .ibd files and re-synced them with the recovered system tablespace.
• Data Parsing & Migration: Validated the extracted data and migrated it into a clean, hardened MySQL 8.0 environment.
• Final Integrity Audit: The client performed a thorough verification of the record counts and relational integrity, confirming a 100% recovery rate.

Recovery Results

• Recovery Integrity: 100%
• Recovered Files: Full MySQL 8.0 Data Directory
• System Status: Database fully restored and verified for production use.
• Total Recovery Time: 3 Hours

Expert Reminder from AS Data Recovery: After a hack or an accidental deletion, power down the server immediately. Every minute the OS is running, temporary files and system logs risk overwriting your deleted database. Contact AS Data Recovery professionals immediately for 24/7 emergency restoration. We guarantee 100% original recovery for specific failures, regardless of database size.