AX100 Forensic Fundamentals

MODULE 1: COURSE INTRODUCTION

• The learning objectives and expected outcomes for the four-day training event, and all related course materials will be presented.

• An overview of Magnet AXIOM and its associated programmatic components, AXIOM Process and AXIOM Examine will also be provided.

MODULE 2: PRESERVATION AND COLLECTION OF DIGITAL EVIDENCE

• Understand the fundamentals of on-scene responsibilities, including considerations prior to arrival on scene, while on scene, safety considerations, equipment concerns, as well as what types of media may be encountered on scene.

• A discussion will also be facilitated around the on-scene responsibilities of what to do prior to pulling the plug or shutting down the computer. This discussion will include encryption and standard considerations to preserve evidence which may not have been written to the hard disk drive.

MODULE 3: DRIVE GEOMETRY

• Learn how to define and articulate the terms, sector, track, cylinder, and head pertaining to hard drives and similar media.

• Articulate the basic components of a modern hard drive, explain the differences between the CHS and LBA sector numbering schemes and calculate the capacity of a drive given CHS or LBA information.

MODULE 4: DATA STORAGE CONCEPTS (BITS, BYTES, AND HEX)

• Understand the differences in the binary, decimal and hexadecimal numbering systems, and convert a hexadecimal number to its binary equivalent, as well as the reverse.

• Use an ASCII chart to convert numerical values to alphabetic characters and explain the basic process of what happens to information from keystroke to saving on a disk.

MODULE 5: PARTITIONING, FORMATTING AND FILE SYSTEMS

• Learn the major differences between the Master Boot Record (MBR) and GUID Partition Table (GPT) partitioning schemes as well as the associated structures created by the two partitioning processes.

• Locate the Master Boot Record and the signature for a GPT partitioned drive, learn the major differences between the File Allocation Table (FAT)-based file system and the New Technology File System (NTFS), and locate the main structures in a FAT-based file system such as Boot Record, FAT table, directory and data areas.

• List and locate the main structures in a NTFS file system such as the Master File Table and major metadata files and recognize other file systems encountered such as exFAT and HFS+ by the system files which are created.

MODULE 6: BOOT PROCESS AND DRIVE LETTER ASSIGNMENTS

• Understand what happens when power is applied to a computer regarding the Boot Process and the Power on Self-Test (POST).

• Gain an understanding of the Boot Configuration Data file and how the boot process works on computers running the Windows Operating System and how drive letters are assigned to volumes and how an examiner can associate the drive letter assignment to a specific drive based on artifacts found within the image file.

MODULE 7: PRINCIPLES OF DATA STORAGE

• Learn what areas of the file systems are affected by operating system activities such as saving and deleting files in the FAT and NTFS-based file systems.

• Identify the affected areas when a file is moved into and removed from the Recycle Bin and learn how to view affected areas at the hex level as well as with forensic software and disk-viewing software.

• Areas to be identified include the File Allocation Table, directory entries, $LogFile, $MFT, $Bitmap and the directory index.

MODULE 8: THE WINDOWS REGISTRY

• A Windows registry can give detailed information about software installations; network connections; file access; USB connections; changes to user accounts; and system settings.

• Learn how to identify the location of some of the more commonly-encountered artifacts from the Windows registry and explain their importance to the overall digital forensics investigation.

MODULE 9: IMAGING COMPUTER MEDIA AND MOBILE DEVICES

• Learn about imaging computer hard drives and removable media, including the difference between hardware and software write-blockers and how each one is effective.

• Case scenarios will be used to understand when to use each of the diverse types of write blockers and the types of images supported by Magnet AXIOM.

MODULE 10: MOBILE DEVICES

• Gain an understanding of the iPhone and Android Operating Systems.

• Learn different acquisition methods and when to apply each one based on the circumstances.

• Become familiar with rooting and the possible uses of rooting and jailbreaking to gain access to suspect mobile devices.