Computer Forensics means examining computers for traces of data that might solve a problem – be it legal or workplace related or personal use. While the term computer forensics brings to mind, an image of professionals using high-end tools to recover and examine data, there are tools that even laymen can use. This article talks of some of the best free computer forensics tools and software that I have come across at some point or the other.

1. Cyber Security Forensics Software
2. Computer Forensic Software

Free Computer Forensics Tools

ProDiscover Forensic is a powerful computer security tool that enables computer professionals to locate all of the data on a computer disk and at the same time protect evidence and create quality evidentiary reports for use in legal proceedings. Cyber security, made simple We provide plain-English advice to organisations who want secure their data. Should the worst occur and you suffer a data breach, our forensic experts will investigate the causes, putting you back in control.

ProDiscover Forensic is a powerful computer security tool that enables computer professionals to locate all of the data on a computer disk and at the same time protect evidence and create quality evidentiary reports for use in legal proceedings. In the area of cyber forensics, law enforcement has a significant challenge keeping up with technology advances. New technology—hardware and software—is released into the market at a very rapid pace and used in criminal activity almost immediately. A leading provider in digital forensics since 1999, Forensic Computers, Inc. Offers a full line of digital forensic workstations, derived only from the best components and fully tested for the most demanding workloads. Forensic Computers also offers a wide range of forensic hardware and software solutions.

P2 eXplorer

This is one of my favorite tools. Not that I have had a real use for it, but I found it interesting because it allows you to browse a disk image without having to burn it to DVDs. You simply mount a disk image to one of the available letters on your computer and then open it in the Windows Explorer. Since it is a disk image, it is read only. That means you can check out the contents but cannot make changes to it. Nevertheless, it is an important tool if you have to examine disks in details or when you have too many computer disks to examine. You have all the data in one interface and all you need is to mount the image file and study it.

P2 eXplorer is available in both free and paid versions. The free version runs in 32-bit operating systems only. It does not mount EnCase v7 images nor does it mount any virtual machine files. The paid version is highlighted more on their website, but the link to download free version is available towards the right side of the website.

Digital Forensics Framework

This is an open source software that allows for:

1. Write blocking
2. Read different types of file formats, irrespective of the operating system; you can also recover raw Linux files from a Windows OS using this software
3. Remote access to disks and drives
4. Recover and examine deleted and hidden files
5. Can read the headers of the files easily so that you know which files to dig into for further information

Above all, people with good computer knowledge can build their own code and use it with the API of digital forensics framework.

HxD

This is yet another easy to use tool that analyses the file system and recovers files that have been deleted on purpose or otherwise. It can also modify the RAM (system memory). It can handle files of any size. The interface is easy to use and hence can be used by anyone with little knowledge of how computers work. You can download HXD from the manufacturer’s website.

PlainSlight

PlainSlight is yet another free computer forensics tools that is open source and helps you preview the entire system in different ways. It’s easy to use interface and self-explanatory labels allows people (even with little knowledge of computer’s internal function) to use it without much difficulty. It can recover deleted files, recover hidden files and folders. It can help with certain other things like obtaining hard disk information, view user groups and group information, examine USB storage information and things like that. Though I like it for its ease of use, it does not offer many features other than the basics of computer forensics. We already have seen P2 eXplorer that can recover file fragments and place them in a readable form. Compared to that, is really very simple.

Bulk Extractor

This is a good tool as it ignores the file table and parses the disk directly. That enables it to record hidden, system and deleted files. The information can be then aggregated into similar entries and analyzed using other tools. You can download Bulk Extractor from GitHub.

All of them work on most of the recent Windows versions. If I have missed out any free or open source computer forensic tool, please let us know.

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Forensic Software – Get Your Cyber Crimes and Digital Investigations Solved Quickly

Investigating a case of cyber crime is not an easy thing to do. Asrock g41 vs3 sound drivers. The more complicated the case, the more difficult and time-consuming it will be. If you work with the law enforcement, you might need to streamline every case of cyber crimes that you take, so that you can solve it more easily.

No more complicated steps in your digital investigations. With forensic software, you can get your case of cyber crimes solved as efficiently as possible. It helps to bring you through various stages in your investigations, with the highest court approval rate.

EnCase Forensic

EnCase Forensic has become the global standard in digital investigations, providing the highest power, efficiency, and results. It walks you through the various stages of your investigations in logical steps: triage, collect, process, search, analyze, and report.

NetAnalysis

NetAnalysis is a forensic software that walks you through the investigation, analysis, and presentation of forensic evidence in operating system and mobile device usage. It features web browser forensics, filtering and searching, cache export and page rebuilding, and reporting.

DFF (Digital Forensics Framework)

DFF is the software used in digital investigations, which provides digital forensic analysis, investigation and threat detection. It offers various features, including evidence preservation, multimedia analysis, fast data reduction and triage, memory analysis, and user activity analysis.

Magnet Axiom

Magnet Axiom provides a complete digital investigation platform that helps you simplify your analysis and explore your digital evidence more deeply. It leads you to a simple investigation process, which includes evidence acquiring, evidence analysis, and single stage evidence processing.

Helix3 Enterprise

Helix3 Enterprise provides a cyber security solution that helps you to investigate malicious activities within your network. It features quick implementation, review employee internet usage, capture screenshots and key logging, and e-discovery across the entire network.

BlackLight

BlackLight is a forensic software used to analyze your computer volumes and mobile devices. It offers various features, including actionable intel, memory analysis, file filter view, media analysis, communication analysis, and reporting.

X-Ways Forensics

X-Ways Forensics provides an integrated computer forensic software used for computer forensic examiners. There are various features available, including disk cloning and imaging, complete access to disk, automatic partition identification, and superimposition of sectors.

SANS Digital Forensics

SANS Digital Forensics is a forensic software designed to provide any organizations the digital forensics needed for various types of cyber crimes. Aside from providing digital forensic software, it also provides courses to let the organizations deal with cyber crimes in the right way.

Cyber Security Forensics Software

Other Forensic Software for Different Platforms

Computer Forensic Software

This Forensic software is available on almost all platforms. However, since the software needs a high-end device to perform well, it is better to use the desktop version of the software, since it usually offers more functionalities.

NirSoft

NirSoft is a Windows digital forensic investigation software that offers the ability to extract important data from your drives, with support for external drives. It provides tools to investigate your IE history, IE cache, IE cookies, IE pass, search data, information from other browsers, and live contacts.

BlackBag

BlackBag provides an advanced data retrieval technology that helps you to seek, reveal, and preserve the truth. It is available for Windows and Mac OS. It also provides training about handling cyber crimes, which helps users to use the software more proficiently.

MOBILedit Forensic

MOBILedit Forensic provides the most comprehensive digital investigation tool for Android devices. It offers various features, including support for almost all phones, extract important application data, bypass the passcode, and bypass the PIN code.

Autopsy

Autopsy is a digital forensic software for Linux, with graphical user interface. It allows you to analyze computers and smartphones to reveal traces of digital evidence for cyber crime cases. Plugins are available for this software, which can bring new features to the software.

Belkasoft Evidence Center – Best Forensic Software of 2016

Belkasoft Evidence Center provides an all-in-one forensic solution for digital investigations, which can be used to deal with online and offline crimes. It features all-in-one forensic tool, simple and powerful system, advance low level expertise, as well as clean and concise reports. This software has been used by various law enforcements worldwide.

What is Forensic Software?

Forensic software is a type of software that deals with digital forensic investigations for both online and offline crimes. This software is usually used by law enforcements and governments who want to investigate various crimes involving digital devices, such as computers and smartphones. The software works by examining the target device and provides comprehensive analysis that will reveal suspicious activities within the device. It provides streamlined investigation steps, with concise reports that can be submitted to the court with a high approval rate. Sometimes, this software can also be used to prevent cyber crimes within a network, by detecting suspicious activities as it happens.

How to Install Forensic Software?

Forensic software needs to be installed on a compatible device. Since the software usually demands high performance computers or devices, you need to make sure that your device meets the requirements of the software. Once you do that, you can download the installation file from the official website of the respective software, and run the installation process on your compatible device.

Investigating a cyber crime can take a lot of time, especially when it comes to complex instances of cyber attacks. Regular crimes that involve the use of digital devices can also be very difficult to solve, especially if the device cannot be accessed in any way. This is where forensic software becomes necessary. It helps you with the investigation of various crimes that involve digital devices, with a streamlined investigation process. You don’t need to make your investigation more complex when you use this software. Instead, the software helps you through the logical investigation steps that allow you to solve the case more quickly and easily. Not only that, the results of your investigation are presented in customized reports, allowing you to submit the reports to the court as an evidence, with a high level of court acceptance.