Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools
By- Cory Altheide, Cory Altheide is a Security Engineer at Google, focused on forensics and incident response. Prior to returning to Google, Cory was a principal consultant with MANDIANT, an information security consulting firm that works with the Fortune 500, the defense industrial base and the banks of the world to secure their networks and combat cyber-crime. In this role he responded to numerous incidents for a variety of clients. Cory has authored several papers for the computer forensics journal Digital Investigation and was a contributing author for UNIX and Linux Forensic Analysis (2008) & The Handbook Of Digital Forensics and Investigation (2010). Additionally, Cory is a recurring member of the program committee of the Digital Forensics Research Workshop (DFRWS).
- Harlan Carvey, (CISSP) Vice President of Advanced Security Projects with Terremark Worldwide, Inc., which is headquartered in Miami, FL. Harlan has provided forensic analysis services for the hospitality industry, financial institutions, as well as federal government and law enforcement agencies. Harlan resides in Northern Virginia with his family.
Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools is the definitive book on investigating and analyzing computer systems and media using open source tools. The book is a technical procedural guide, and explains the use of these tools on Linux and Windows systems as a platform for performing computer forensics. Both well known and novel forensic methods are demonstrated using command-line and graphical open source computer forensic tools for examining a wide range of target systems and artifacts.
Paperback, 288 Pages
Published: April 2011
Imprint: Syngress
ISBN: 978-1-59749-586-8
Reviews
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"This is highly detailed material. Although the introductory chapter adopts an easy pace, with overviews of important technical concepts, most of the other chapters get right down to the practice of forensic analysis. This is not a book youre going to want to read in bed: youll want this right next to a computer - preferably two or three computers running different operating systems - so that you can try the techniques for yourself as you work your way through. The authors admit that this book does not cover everything you need to know. For instance, it focuses entirely on dead drive forensics - offline systems. Analysing running systems often requires high-level proprietary tools. But it does give an excellent grounding in the methods of digital forensic analysis and provides a valuable first step in learning the technicalities."-- Network Security, May 2012, page 4"Digital Forensics - MacGyver Style! The practical solutions of this book, Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools, save the day when commercial tools fail. During an incident, the clock ticks. Response teams scramble to pull anything together to solve the immediate challenge. Cory Altheide and Harlan Carvey take you through the tools and tactics that you need - the ones that in a pinch will get the job done. A welcome addition to my library ."--Rob Lee, SANS Institute"Intended for students and new computer professionals, or those new to open source applications, this guide to digital forensics provides practical instructions for many common tasks in data recovery and analysis using open source tools. Beginning with a discussion of setting up an open source examination platform and tool set, the work covers disk and file system analysis, Windows, GNU/Linux and Mac OS X systems and artifacts, Internet artifacts, file analysis and automated analysis. The volume includes numerous code examples and tips and tricks as well as an appendix of software tools."--Reference and Research Book News"Intended for students and new computer professionals, or those new to open source applications, this guide to digital forensics provides practical instructions for many common tasks in data recovery and analysis using open source tools. Beginning with a discussion of setting up an open source examination platform and tool set, the work covers disk and file system analysis, Windows, GNU/Linux and Mac OS X systems and artifacts, Internet artifacts, file analysis and automated analysis. The volume includes numerous code examples and tips and tricks as well as an appendix of software tools. Chapter examples assume a basic knowledge of the Linux command line interface."--Reference and Research Book News"The authors intended this book for two types of readers: complete novices in the world of digital forensics, and seasoned practitioners who are interested in learning more about open source tools that could help them in their work. And although it might seem difficult to merge the knowledge in such a way to make for an interesting book for both groups, in my opinion, the writers managed to do it beautifully." --Net-Security.org
Contents
Chapter 1: Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools
Welcome to "Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools"
What is "Digital Forensics?"
What is "Open Source?"Benefits of Open Source Tools
ReferencesChapter 2 The Open Source Examination Platform
IntroductionPreparing The Examination System
Using Linux as the HostUsing Windows as the Host
SummaryReferences
Chapter 3: Disk & File System AnalysisIntroduction
Media Analysis ConceptsThe Sleuth Kit
Partitioning & Disk LayoutsSpecial Containers
HashingCarving
Forensic ImagingSummary
ReferencesChapter 4: Windows Systems and Artifacts
IntroductionWindows File Systems
RegistryEvent Logs
Other ArtifactsWindows Executables
SummaryReferences
Chapter 5: Linux Systems & ArtifactsIntroduction
Linux File SystemsLinux Boot Process & Services
Linux System Organization & ArtifactsUser Accounts
Home DirectoriesLogs
Scheduling TasksSummary
ReferencesChapter 6: Mac OS X Systems & Artifacts
IntroductionOS X File System Artifacts
OS X System ArtifactsUser Artifacts
SummaryReferences
Chapter 7: Internet ArtifactsIntroduction
Browser ArtifactsMail Artifacts
SummaryReferences
Chapter 8: File AnalysisIntroduction
File Analysis ConceptsImages
AudioVideo
ArchivesDocuments
SummaryReferences
Chapter 9: Automating Analysis & Extending CapabilitiesIntroduction
Graphical Investigation EnvironmentsAutomating Artifact Extraction
TimelinesSummary
ReferencesAppendix A: Free, Non-Open Tools of Note
IntroductionChapter 3: File System Analysis
Chapter 4: Windows ArtifactsChapter 7: Internet Artifacts
Chapter 8: File AnalysisChapter 9: Automating Analysis & Extending Capabilities
Validation & Testing ResourcesReferences

