Forensic platforms
Over the past 15 years, there has been an increase in the power of disk forensic platforms. For the incident response analyst, there are options as to what type of platform can be leveraged for conducting an examination of the disk drives. Often, the limiting factor in utilizing these platforms is the cost of more robust systems, when a lower cost alternative will be just as effective for an incident response team.
There are several factors that should be addressed when examining software for disk analysis. First, has the platform been tested? There are several organizations that test platforms for efficacy, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology Computer Forensic Tools Testing Program (https://www.cftt.nist.gov/). Second is an examination of the tool's use in criminal and civil proceedings. There is no single court- accepted standard but tools should conform to the rules of evidence. The use of a platform that has not been tested or does not conform...