In the world of computer forensics, software is a necessary tool. Software can capture the evidence needed for a criminal court case. But not all software is for specialists. Computer forensic software is used to fulfill many different purposes. Specialists do use this software, but large and small companies also have computer forensic software to protect their business. And many people are starting to see the benefits of having software to protect their computer.
Software is all over the internet; you can pay thousands of dollars or get a free version installed on your computer. The important thing is that you get software that is relevant to you and your needs. Needs of computer forensic specialists are much greater and require specialized software.
The following computer forensic software is some of the best. Some options are free and can be used at a forensic firm, for a large or small company or on a home computer.
EnCase
Law enforcement groups use EnCase, which is one of the top computer forensic software. Encase makes it possible to investigate data from hard- drives and removable media like CD’s and Palm PDA’s.
Grep
Grep is used to when searching files. It helps organize the examination part of the investigation. It can be utilized to look for specific words or phrases like “money”.
Data Dumper
Imaging is an important part of computer forensics. Before an examination can take place, an exact copy of the hard- ware needs to be made, this process is known as imaging. Data dumper makes images, or copies, of the hard- ware. The duplicate is then used in the examination. This helps ensure the integrity of the data. Another imaging software is Safeback. Safeback makes images, but does not have information processing functions.
Md5sum
Md5sum is software used to test the copy of the original hardware. If the imaging process was not done correctly and there are errors, the examination of the image would yield different results than the original and the integrity is lost. This software compares the image to the original copy to make sure the image can be used in examination.
Vogon Forensic Software
To make the analyzing of data quicker, Vogon Forensic Software makes an image of the original hard- drive and processes the data. It is a more efficient tool and allows the forensic specialist conduct the examination more effectively.
The Coroners Toolkit
This software is used when there has been a breach in computer security. It helps recover deleted and reconstruct damaged files. It also helps to map the activities of the intruder.
Netstat
Netstat is a free windows based software that manages the information sent between computers. It is excellent software to watch network security.
Computer Forensic Specialists use these software programs and others to perform their duties. They make images of hard- drives and analyze the data in their examinations. The software makes sure that the copy holds its integrity to ensure just results. Using software helps fight crime and leads to new technologies in the field of forensics.