Chapter 5. Understanding Forensic Imaging

One critical task that incident response analysts will often have to perform is imaging of digital evidence. As was previously discussed in prior chapters, a great deal of evidence related to an incident can be found within log files, memory, and other areas that can be acquired relatively quickly. In some incidents, such as internal malicious activity such as fraud, industrial espionage, or data leakage, may require a more detailed search for evidence. This evidence includes the Master File Table entries, files, and specific user data that are contained on the hard drive of a suspect system. In the event that 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 relies on the appropriate tools, techniques, and documentation. This chapter will explore the fundamental concepts of digital imaging and...