Forensic Imaging

One critical task that incident response analysts often must perform is imaging digital evidence. As we discussed in prior chapters, a great deal of evidence related to an incident can be found within log files, memory, and other areas and can be acquired relatively quickly. In some incidents, such as internal malicious activity (for example, fraud, industrial espionage, or data leakage), a more detailed search for evidence may be required. This evidence includes master file table entries, files, and specific user data that is contained on the hard drive of a suspect system. If incident response analysts encounter such circumstances, they will be required to obtain an image of a suspect drive. As with any aspect of digital forensics, obtaining a usable and court-defensible image depends on the appropriate tools, techniques, and documentation being used.

This chapter will explore the fundamental concepts of digital imaging and the preparation and tools that are needed...