Overview of USB devices and types
The USB Mass Storage Class (USB MSC) is a collection of communication protocols defined by the USB Implementers Forum. These protocols establish a standard for USB devices to be recognized and accessed by host computing devices, facilitating file transfer between the host and the USB device. When a USB device operates in MSC mode, it emulates the functionality of an external hard drive, allowing the host system to interact with it as if it were a traditional storage device. This protocol set enables compatibility with various storage devices, ensuring seamless data exchange between the host and the USB device.
Some common USB artifacts that can be analyzed in Windows include the following:
- Registry keys: When a USB device is plugged into a Windows system, it creates various registry keys that can be analyzed to determine information such as the device’s serial number, its manufacturer, and timestamps indicating when the device was...