Guide to Computer Forensics

and Investigations
Fourth Edition

Chapter 7
Current Computer Forensics
Tools
 Objectives

• Explain how to evaluate needs for computer

forensics tools
• Describe available computer forensics software
tools
• List some considerations for computer forensics
hardware tools
• Describe methods for validating and testing
computer forensics tools
Evaluating Computer
Forensics Tool Needs
 Evaluating Computer Forensics Tool
Needs
• Look for versatility, flexibility, and robustness
– OS
– File system(s)
– Script capabilities
– Automated features
– Vendor’s reputation for support
• Keep in mind what application files you will be
analyzing
 Types of Computer Forensics Tools

• Hardware forensic tools

– Range from single-purpose
components to complete computer
systems and servers
• Software forensic tools Logicube Talon
– Types (link Ch 7a)
• Command-line applications
• GUI applications
– Commonly used to copy data from a suspect’s disk
drive to an image file
 Tasks Performed by Computer
Forensics Tools

• Five major categories:

– Acquisition
– Validation and discrimination
– Extraction
– Reconstruction
– Reporting
 Acquisition

• Making a copy of the original drive

• Acquisition subfunctions:
– Physical data copy
– Logical data copy
– Data acquisition format
– Command-line acquisition
– GUI acquisition
– Remote acquisition
– Verification
 Acquisition (continued)

• Two types of data-copying methods are used in

software acquisitions:
– Physical copying of the entire drive
– Logical copying of a disk partition
• The formats for disk acquisitions vary
– From raw data to vendor-specific proprietary
compressed data
• You can view the contents of a raw image file with
any hexadecimal editor
 Acquisition (continued)

• Creating smaller segmented files is a typical

feature in vendor acquisition tools
• All computer forensics acquisition tools have a
method for verification of the data-copying process
– That compares the original drive with the image
 Validation and discrimination

• Validation
– Ensuring the integrity of data being copied
• Discrimination of data
– Involves sorting and searching through all
investigation data
 Validation and discrimination
(continued)
• Subfunctions
– Hashing
• CRC-32, MD5, Secure Hash Algorithms
– Filtering
• Known system files can be ignored
• Based on hash value sets
– Analyzing file headers
• Discriminate files based on their types
• National Software Reference Library (NSRL) has
compiled a list of known file hashes
– For a variety of OSs, applications, and images
Tasks Performed by Computer
Forensics Tools (continued)
 Validation and discrimination
(continued)

• Many computer forensics programs include a list of

common header values
– With this information, you can see whether a file
extension is incorrect for the file type
• Most forensics tools can identify header values
Tasks Performed by Computer
Forensics Tools (continued)
 Extraction

• Recovery task in a computing investigation

• Most demanding of all tasks to master
• Recovering data is the first step in analyzing an
investigation’s data
 Extraction (continued)

• Subfunctions
– Data viewing
– Keyword searching
– Decompressing
– Carving (reconstructing
file fragments)
– Decrypting
– Bookmarking
• Keyword search speeds up analysis for
investigators
FTK's Search Pane
 Extraction (continued)

• From an investigation perspective, encrypted files

and systems are a problem
• Many password recovery tools have a feature for
generating potential password lists
– For a password dictionary attack
• If a password dictionary attack fails, you can run a
brute-force attack
 Reconstruction

• Re-create a suspect drive to show what happened

during a crime or an incident
• Subfunctions
– Disk-to-disk copy
– Image-to-disk copy
– Partition-to-partition copy
– Image-to-partition copy
• This is easiest if a matching blank hard disk is
available, same make and model
 Reconstruction (continued)

• Some tools that perform an image-to-disk copy:

– SafeBack
– SnapBack
– EnCase
– FTK Imager
– ProDiscover
 VOOM Shadow 2

• For write-blocked courtroom demos using real

original drive, use Voom Shadow 2 (link Ch 7b)
 Reporting

• To complete a forensics disk analysis and

examination, you need to create a report
• Subfunctions
– Log reports
– Report generator
• Use this information when producing a final report
for your investigation
Tool Comparisons
 Other Considerations for Tools

• Considerations
– Flexibility
– Reliability
– Expandability
– Keep a library with older version of your tools
• Create a software library containing older versions
of forensics utilities, OSs, and other programs
iClicker Questions
Which task includes removing
files that are known Windows
system files?

A.Acquisition
B.Validation
C.Discrimination
D.Carving
E.Extraction
Which task includes creating a
working duplicate of the
evidence hard disk on a
physical hard disk?

A.Discrimination
B.Carving
C.Extraction
D.Reconstruction
E.Reporting
Which task includes remotely
imaging a suspect's hard drive?

A.Acquisition
B.Validation
C.Extraction
D.Reconstruction
E.Reporting
Which tool allows you to boot
from the evidence drive safely?

A.VOOM Shadow 2
B.Hardware write-blocker
C.FTK Imager
D.VMware
E.EnCase
Computer Forensics Software
Tools
 Computer Forensics Software Tools

• The following sections explore some options for

command-line and GUI tools in both Windows and
UNIX/Linux
 Command-line Forensic Tools
• The first tools that analyzed and extracted data
from floppy disks and hard disks were MS-DOS
tools for IBM PC file systems
• Norton DiskEdit
– One of the first MS-DOS tools used for computer
investigations
• Advantage
– Command-line tools require few system resources
• Designed to run in minimal configurations
 DIR /Q

• Shows file owner

 UNIX/Linux Forensic Tools

• *nix platforms have long been the primary

command-line OSs
• SMART
– Designed to be installed on numerous Linux versions
– Can analyze a variety of file systems with SMART
– Many plug-in utilities are included with SMART
– Another useful option in SMART is its hex viewer
– Link Ch 7d
UNIX/Linux Forensic Tools (continued)

• Helix
– One of the easiest suites to begin with
– You can load it on a live Windows system
• Loads as a bootable Linux OS from a cold boot
• Autopsy and SleuthKit
– Sleuth Kit is a Linux forensics tool
– Autopsy is the GUI/browser interface used to access
Sleuth Kit’s tools
UNIX/Linux Forensic Tools (continued)

• Knoppix-STD
– Knoppix Security Tools Distribution (STD)
• A collection of tools for configuring security measures,
including computer and network forensics
– Knoppix-STD is forensically sound
• Doesn’t allow you to alter or damage the system
you’re analyzing
– Knoppix-STD is a Linux bootable CD
 BackTrack

• BackTrack 4 has a Forensics Mode

• But it’s not the default boot mode, so you need to
be careful
 Raptor

• Forensic LiveCD (link Ch 7e)

 Other GUI Forensic Tools

• Simplify computer forensics investigations

• Help training beginning investigators
• Most of them come into suites of tools
• Advantages
– Ease of use
– Multitasking
– No need for learning older OSs
Other GUI Forensic Tools (continued)

• Disadvantages
– Excessive resource requirements
– Produce inconsistent results
– Create tool dependencies
Computer Forensics
Hardware Tools
 Computer Forensics Hardware Tools

• Technology changes rapidly

• Hardware eventually fails
– Schedule equipment replacements
• When planning your budget consider:
– Failures
– Consultant and vendor fees
– Anticipate equipment replacement
 Forensic Workstations

• Carefully consider what you need

• Categories
– Stationary
– Portable
– Lightweight
• Balance what you need and what your system can
handle
 Forensic Workstations (continued)

• Police agency labs

– Need many options
– Use several PC configurations
• Private corporation labs
– Handle only system types used in the organization
• Keep a hardware library in addition to your
software library
 Building your Own Forensic
Workstation

• Not as difficult as it sounds

• Advantages
– Customized to your needs
– Save money
• Disadvantages
– Hard to find support for problems
– Can become expensive if careless
• Also need to identify what you intend to analyze
 Purchasing a Forensic Workstation

• You can buy one from a vendor as an alternative

• Examples
– F.R.E.D.
– F.I.R.E. IDE
• Having vendor support can save you time and
frustration when you have problems
• Can mix and match components to get the
capabilities you need for your forensic workstation
 Using a Write-Blocker

• Write-blocker
– Prevents data writes to a hard disk
• Software-enabled blockers
– Software write-blockers are OS dependant
– Example: PDBlock from Digital Intelligence
• DOS only, not Windows (link Ch 6f)
• Hardware options
– Ideal for GUI forensic tools
– Act as a bridge between the suspect drive and the
forensic workstation
 Using a Write-Blocker (continued)

• Can navigate to the blocked drive with any

application
• Discards the written data
– For the OS the data copy is successful
• Connecting technologies
– FireWire
– USB 2.0
– SCSI controllers
 Recommendations for a Forensic
Workstation

• Determine where data acquisitions will take place

• Data acquisition techniques
– USB 2.0
– FireWire
• Expansion devices requirements
• Power supply with battery backup
• Extra power and data cables
 Recommendations for a Forensic
Workstation (continued)

• External FireWire and USB 2.0 ports

• Assortment of drive adapter bridges
• Ergonomic considerations
– Keyboard and mouse
– A good video card with at least a 17-inch monitor
• High-end video card and monitor
• If you have a limited budget, one option for
outfitting your lab is to use high-end game PCs
Validating and Testing
Forensic Software
 Validating and Testing Forensic
Software

• Make sure the evidence you recover and analyze

can be admitted in court
• Test and validate your software to prevent
damaging the evidence
 Using National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) Tools

• Computer Forensics Tool Testing (CFTT)

program
– Manages research on computer forensics tools
• NIST has created criteria for testing computer
forensics tools based on:
– Standard testing methods
– ISO 17025 criteria for testing items that have no
current standards
– ISO 5725
 Using National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) Tools
(continued)
• Your lab must meet the following criteria
– Establish categories for computer forensics tools
– Identify computer forensics category requirements
– Develop test assertions
– Identify test cases
– Establish a test method
– Report test results
• Also evaluates drive-imaging tools
– See link Ch 7g
 Using National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) Tools
(continued)
• National Software Reference Library (NSRL)
project
– Collects all known hash values for commercial
software applications and OS files
• Uses SHA-1 to generate a known set of digital
signatures called the Reference Data Set (RDS)
– Helps filtering known information
– Can use RDS to locate and identify known bad files
 Using Validation Protocols

• Always verify your results

• Use at least two tools
– Retrieving and examination
– Verification
• Understand how tools work
• One way to compare results and verify a new tool
is by using a disk editor
– Such as Hex Workshop or WinHex
– But it won't work with encrypted or compressed files
Using Validation Protocols (continued)

• Disk editors
– Do not have a flashy interface
– Reliable tools
– Can access raw data
• Computer Forensics Examination Protocol
– Perform the investigation with a GUI tool
• Usually FTK or EnCase
– Verify your results with a disk editor
– If a file is recovered, compare hash values obtained
with both tools
Using Validation Protocols (continued)

• Computer Forensics Tool Upgrade Protocol

– Test
• New releases
• OS patches and upgrades
– If you find a problem, report it to forensics tool
vendor
• Do not use the forensics tool until the problem has
been fixed
– Use a test hard disk for validation purposes
– Check the Web for new editions, updates, patches,
and validation tests for your tools
iClicker Questions
Which tool is useful for
verfication, but not for
compressed or encrypted files?

A.FTK
B.EnCase
C.Raptor
D.Hex Editor
E.NSRL
Which tool has a Forensics
Mode, but does not boot into
that mode by default?

A.Norton DiskEdit
B.Helix
C.Knoppix-STD
D.Raptor
E.BackTrack
Which tool used to be free but
now costs money?

A.SMART
B.Helix
C.Knoppix-STD
D.Raptor
E.BackTrack
Which tool comes built in to
Windows?

A.DIR /Q
B.SMART
C.Helix
D.Autopsy & SleuthKit
E.BackTrack