Digital evidence can exist on a number of various platforms and in many various forms. Disk and data capture, network analysis, and specialized device forensics are all examples of tools.

Finding malware in the software of the design is the best goal, easily found when experts' analysis device endpoints record and exit malicious files or data.

Internet Forensics Tools

Digital forensics tools are either hardware or software designed to help in the restoration of digital evidence of a cyber-attack and the preservation of data or vital systems. Typical items on a list of the primary categories of digital forensics tools include:

• Disk Forensic Tools
• Network Forensic Tools
• Wireless Forensic Tools
• Database Forensic Tools
• Malware Forensic Tools
• Email Forensic Tools
• Memory Forensic Tools
• Mobile Phone Forensic Tools

A forensic tool keep endure in hardware or software and is redistributed separately or as part of a suite. These tools also work on various operating systems, containing:

• Windows
• Linux
• macOS
• iOS
• Android

Cyber Security Tools Used by Industry Experts

Tools for digital forensic imaging exist in numerous varieties to accomplish a variety of tasks. Here are the top 7 popular digital forensic tools. let’s look into their features.

1. Sleuth Kit (+Autopsy) [Disk Analysis] 

Autopsy is a command-line tool that executes judicial analysis of forensic images of hard drives and smartphones. Using the Sleuth Kit, you may use a graphical interface to thoroughly examine a hard drive or smartphone. It was intended for Autopsy to be an end-to-end platform with pre-built modules and other components that could be obtained from other sources.

Main Features:

• TSK offers well-viewed and inspected disk and data capture tools.
• Capabilities involve chronology study, hash filtering, file and folder flagging, and multimedia extraction.
• Autopsy grants users to capably evaluate hard drives and smartphones.
• Its plug-in architecture gives consumers to find add-on modules or form custom modules in Java or Python.
• Sleuth Kit is a collection of C library and command-line utilities for analyzing disc images and restoring data.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Solaris, CYGWIN, Open & FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Linux, Mac OS X, Windows (Visual Studio and MinGW)

2. Volatility Framework [Memory Forensics]

Important forensic facts may be stored in RAM, and this volatile memory must be composed fast and carefully to be forensically genuine and beneficial. Tools like The Sleuth Kit focus on the hard drive, but this is not the only place where forensic data and artifacts maybe reserved on a system. Volatility is ultimate famous and well-known tool for investigation of volatile memory.

Main Features:

• Memory forensics technology permits investigators to resolve runtime states utilizing RAM data.
• The Volatility Framework's API enables you to quickly monitor Page Track Entry (PTE) flags.
• It facilitates the randomization of the kernel address space layout (KASLR).
• Knowledge of operating system (OS) internals, malicious code, and oddities is used to improve its tools.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android

3. Computer-Aided Investigative Environment

CAINE is a free computer forensic tool and a full-blown Linux distro you can use as part of your forensics analysis. The security software for Windows, Linux, and Unix computers is integrated with CAINE. Bundled with it, there are 80+ open-source forensic tools to present you an edge in cracking the case.

Key Differentiators:

• CAINE offers automated RAM timeline extraction.
• In read-only mode, all block devices are blocked.
• Unblock, a GUI that is available on CAINE's desktop, may be used with CAINE.
• CAINE guarantees that every disc is secured against erroneous writing operations.
• It can be unlocked if the user needs to write a disc.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Windows, Unix, Linux 

4. Wireshark

Wireshark is one of the world's most-used network protocol analysis tools. First grown in 1998, it allows inspection of hundreds of protocols in a three-pane packet browser. It supports live traffic capture or can swallow network capture files for investigation. By capturing network traffic, consumers can scan for malicious activity.

Key Differentiators:

• With VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) analysis, networks can be analyzed.
• You can browse captured network data using a GUI or the teletypewriter (TTY)-mode TShark utility.
• IPsec, ISAKMP, Kerberos, SNMPv3, SSL/TLS, WEP, and WPA/WPA2 all provide decryption capability.
• The output may be exported as plain text, an XML or a CSV file.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Windows, Linus, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, and NetBSD

5. SIFT Workstation [Saves on Disk Space]

The SANS Investigative Forensics Toolkit (SIFT) is a lot of open-origin fact reaction and forensics technologies planned to execute particularized digital investigations in various scenes. The toolkit can fixedly analyze raw disks and various file configurations in a secure, read-only manner that does not modify the evidence it explores. The expert witness format (E01), advanced forensic format (AFF), and raw evidence formats are all compatible and adaptable with SIFT.

Main Features:

• SIFT, which was created by the SANS Institute in 2007, is a memory optimizer that runs on 64-bit operating systems and automatically upgrades the programme with the most recent forensic tools and methods.
• It facilitates installation by using a command-line interface (SIFT-CLI).
• The DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response) package is automatically updated.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Windows 7, Mac OS X, Linux

6. FTK Imager [Image Creation]

A forensic tool called the FTK Imager allows you to create copies of data while maintaining the integrity of the original evidence. This can be used to design disk images that can then be resolved utilizing Autopsy/The Sleuth Kit. For tools such as this to work, original digital copies of hard drives must be maintained before evidence can be extracted.

Main Features:

• Offers clear data visualization using charts.
• Performs leading data analysis applying automatic equipment.
• Allows you to restore passwords for 100+ applications.
• Allows you to manage renewable profiles in consideration of more forensic examinations.

Technical Specifications: OS Type: Windows 10/8/7, Windows Vista, Windows XP

7. Xplico

A network forensics analysis programm called Xplico was developed in 2007 and uses a packet sniffer to rearrange data. In order to rebuild application data and identify its protocols, it excels in port independent protocol identification (PIPI). The main goal of Xplico, a free and open-source programm, is to extract application data from an internet traffic collection. It produces a database in the form of a MySQL or SQLite database as output.

Key Differentiators:

• Xplico supports HTTP, IMAP, POP, SMTP, IPv6, and more.
• Xplico creates XML files that identify the flows and pcap (inputs file) contained in each data structure reassembled.
• Xplico provides output data and information in SQLite database or Mysql database and/or files.
• Reverse DNS lookup from DNS packages is contained in the input files, not from an external DNS server.

Conclusion

With this, we finish the digital forensic tools you can try with no payment or obligation today. The field of digital forensics suggests a fair share of responsibility, so it’s much better to have trustworthy professional tools when you need them.

Learning at SIFS India

SIFS India's team of expert professionals and certified faculty provides you with a great opportunity to learn forensics by attending different forensic events organized from time to time. Also, you can learn by registering yourself in forensic courses and training programs offered by SIFS India both in online and offline mode. You can also visit our YouTube channel for all the events recoding.