Digital Forensics Lab & Shared Cyber Forensic Intelligence Repository
| Hands-on labs | Forensic Intelligence Repository | Our Programs |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 B.S. in Cyber Forensics M.S. in in Forensic Science–Cyber Investigations |
Features of Repository
===================
- Hands-on Digital Forensics Labs: designed for Students and Faculty
- Linux-based lab: All labs are purely based on Kali Linux
- Lab screenshots: Each lab has PPTs with instruction screenshots
- Comprehensive: Cover many topics in digital forensics
- Free: All tools are open source
- Updated: The project is funded by DOJ and DHS and will be keep updated
- Two formalized forensic intelligence in JSON files based-on case studies
Please cite our paper:
W. Xu, L. Deng, and D. Xu, "Towards Designing Shared Digital Forensics Instructional Materials," in Proceeding of the 46st Annual International Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC 2022), pp. 117-122, July 2022.
or in BibTeX
@inproceedings{xu2022forensics,
title={Towards Designing Shared Digital Forensics Instructional Materials},
author={Xu, Weifeng and Deng, Lin, and Xu, Dianxiang},
booktitle={46st Annual International Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC 2022)},
volume={1},
pages={117--122},
year={2022},
organization={IEEE}
}
Table of Contents (add iOS investigation on 4/021/2022)
- Basic Computer Skills for Digital Forensics
- Computer and Digital Forensics (updated on Oct. 2021)
- Computer Forensics Case Study
- Mobile/IoT Forensics Case Study
- Investigating Android 10 (added on 10/24/2021)
- Investigating iPhone iOS 13 (updated on 6/18/2022)
- Investigating Drone (add on 12/07/2021)
- Forensic Intelligence Repository
Tool Installation (newly added on 12/6/2021)
Method 1: Importing customized Kali VM image
The customized Kali VM = Kali (2020.4) + tools used for completing most of the labs listed above (except p2p Data Leakage case)
- Install Virtualbox
- Import the customized Kali 2020.4. Notes: the default harddisk size is 80G.
Method 2: Installing tools using the customized script (the script ONLY is tested on Kali 2020.4)
The following script will install tools needed for completing most of the labs listed above (except p2p Data Leakage case, which has its own script described in PPTs). Please let us know if you need us to add more tools to the script.
-
Install Virtualbox
-
Install Kali 2020.4. Notes: Suggest You configure the disk size of Kali VM 80G because the size of each leakage cases image is 30G+
-
How to run the installation script instructions, or you can simply follow the commands below
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/frankwxu/digital-forensics-lab/main/Help/tool-install-zsh.sh
chmod +x tool-install-zsh.sh
./tool-install-zsh.sh
- Installed tools. Note that most of the commands for tools can executed globally. Now you can skip most of tool installation steps in PPTs.
Investigating NIST Data Leakage
==============
The case study is to investigate an image involving intellectual property theft. The study include
- A large and complex case study created by NIST. You can access the Scenario, DD/Encase images. You can also find the solutions on their website.
- 14 hands-on labs/topics in digital forensics
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Environment Setting Up | 2M |
| Lab 1 | Windows Registry | 3M |
| Lab 2 | Windows Event and XML | 3M |
| Lab 3 | Web History and SQL | 3M |
| Lab 4 | Email Investigation | 3M |
| Lab 5 | File Change History and USN Journal | 2M |
| Lab 6 | Network Evidence and shellbag | 2M |
| Lab 7 | Network Drive and Cloud | 5M |
| Lab 8 | Master File Table ($MFT) and Log File ($logFile) Analysis | 13M |
| Lab 9 | Windows Search History | 4M |
| Lab 10 | Windows Volume Shadow Copy Analysis/SQL database carving | 6M |
| Lab 11 | Recycle Bin and Anti-Forensics | 3M |
| Lab 12 | Data Carving | 3M |
| Lab 13 | Crack Windows Passwords | 2M |
Investigating P2P Data Leakage
==============
The P2P data leakage case study is to help students to apply various forensic techniques to investigate intellectual property theft involving P2P. The study includes
- A large and complex case involving a uTorrent client. The case is similar to NIST data leakage lab. However, it provides a clearer and more detailed timeline.
- Solid evidence with explanations. Each evidence that is associated with each activity is explained along with the timeline.
- 10 hands-on labs/topics in digital forensics
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Lab Environment Setting Up | 4M |
| Lab 1 | Disk Image and Partitions | 5M |
| Lab 2 | Windows Registry and File Directory | 15M |
| Lab 3 | MFT Timeline | 6M |
| Lab 4 | USN Journal Timeline | 3M |
| Lab 5 | uTorrent Log File | 9M |
| Lab 6 | File Signature | 8M |
| Lab 7 | Emails | 9M |
| Lab 8 | Web History | 11M |
| Lab 9 | Website Analysis | 2M |
| Lab 10 | Timeline (Summary) | 13K |
Investigating Illegal Possession of Images
=====================
The case study is to investigate the illegal possession of Rhino images. This image was contributed by Dr. Golden G. Richard III, and was originally used in the DFRWS 2005 RODEO CHALLENGE. NIST hosts the USB DD image. A copy of the image is also available in the repository.
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | HTTP Analysis using Wireshark (text) | 3M |
| Lab 1 | HTTP Analysis using Wireshark (image) | 6M |
| Lab 2 | Rhion Possession Investigation 1: File recovering | 9M |
| Lab 3 | Rhion Possession Investigation 2: Steganography | 4M |
| Lab 4 | Rhion Possession Investigation 3: Extract Evidence from FTP Traffic | 3M |
| Lab 5 | Rhion Possession Investigation 4: Extract Evidence from HTTP Traffic | 5M |
Investigating Email Harassment
=========
The case study is to investigate the harassment email sent by a student to a faculty member. The case is hosted by digitalcorpora.org. You can access the senario description and network traffic from their website. The repository only provides lab instructions.
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Investigating Harassment Email using Wireshark | 3M |
| Lab 1 | t-shark Forensic Introduction | 2M |
| Lab 2 | Investigating Harassment Email using t-shark | 2M |
Investigating Illegal File Transferring
=========
The case study is to investigate computer memory for reconstructing a timeline of illegal data transferring. The case includes a scenario of transfer sensitive files from a server to a USB.
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Memory Forensics | 11M |
| part 1 | Understand the Suspect and Accounts | |
| part 2 | Understand the Suspect’s PC | |
| part 3 | Network Forensics | |
| part 4 | Investigate Command History | |
| part 5 | Investigate Suspect’s USB | |
| part 6 | Investigate Internet Explorer History | |
| part 7 | Investigate File Explorer History | |
| part 8 | Timeline Analysis |
Investigating Hacking Case
=========
The case study, including a disk image provided by NIST is to investigate a hacker who intercepts internet traffic within range of Wireless Access Points.
Topics Covered
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Hacking Case | 8M |
Investigating Android 10
The image is created by Joshua Hickman and hosted by digitalcorpora.
=========
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Intro Pixel 3 | 3M |
| Lab 1 | Pixel 3 Image | 2M |
| Lab 2 | Pixel 3 Device | 4M |
| Lab 3 | Pixel 3 System Setting | 5M |
| Lab 4 | Overview: App Life Cycle | 11M |
| Lab 5.1.1 | AOSP App Investigations: Messaging | 4M |
| Lab 5.1.2 | AOSP App Investigations: Contacts | 3M |
| Lab 5.1.3 | AOSP App Investigations: Calendar | 1M |
| Lab 5.2.1 | GMS App Investigations: Messaging | 6M |
| Lab 5.2.2 | GMS App Investigations: Dialer | 2M |
| Lab 5.2.3 | GMS App Investigations: Maps | 8M |
| Lab 5.2.4 | GMS App Investigations: Photos | 6M |
| Lab 5.3.1 | Third-Party App Investigations: Kik | 4M |
| Lab 5.3.2 | Third-Party App Investigations: textnow | 1M |
| Lab 5.3.3 | Third-Party App Investigations: whatapp | 3M |
| Lab 6 | Pixel 3 Rooting | 5M |
Investigating iPhone iOS 13.4.1
The image is created by Joshua Hickman and hosted by digitalcorpora.
=========
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | Intro Intro iPhone iOS 13 | 5M |
| Lab 1 | iOS 13.4.1 Image | 5M |
| Lab 2 | iPhone Device investigation | 3M |
| Lab 3 | iOS System Settings | 3M |
| Lab 4 | Overview of App Life Cycle | 2M |
| Lab 5 | Messages Investigations | 3M |
| Lab 6 | Contacts Investigations | 3M |
| Lab 7 | Calender Investigations | 2M |
| Lab 8 | Safari Investigations | 3M |
| Lab 9 | Photo Investigations | 7M |
| Lab 10 | KnowledgeC Investigations | 5M |
| Lab 11 | Health_ Investigations | 5M |
| Lab 12 | Location Investigations | 8M |
| Lab 13 | Cellebrite Investigations | 12M |
| Lab 14 | Magnet Axiom Investigations | 13M |
| Lab 14 | Jailbreak Investigations | 6M |
Investigating Drone DJI
The dataset includes logical files extracted from a DJI controller (mobile device) and a SD card image used by the device. The Drone dataset is created by VTO Labs. The lab covers GPS investigation and cached image retrieval. Note that it is a draft. We will improve the lab later.
=========
| Labs | Topics Covered | Size of PPTs |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 0 | DJI Mavic Air Mobile | 13M |
| Lab 1 | DJI Mavic Air MicroSD Raw | 2M |
| Lab 2 | DJI Mavic Air MicroSD Encase Format | 2M |
Tools
- Commands tested
| Name | Command | Repository | Installation Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine | wine --version | https://source.winehq.org/git/wine.git/ | Custom |
| Vinetto | vinetto -h | https://github.com/AtesComp/Vinetto | Custom |
| imgclip | imgclip -h | https://github.com/Arthelon/imgclip | apt install |
| RegRipper | rip.pl -h | https://github.com/keydet89/RegRipper3.0 | Customized scirpt |
| Windows-Prefetch-Parser | prefetch.py -h | https://github.com/PoorBillionaire/Windows-Prefetch-Parser.git | Custom |
| python-evtx | evtx_dump.py -h | https://github.com/williballenthin/python-evtx | apt install |
| libesedb-utils | esedbexport -h | https://github.com/libyal/libesedb | apt install |
| libpff | pffexport -h | https://github.com/libyal/libpff | apt install |
| USN-Record-Carver | usncarve.py -h | https://github.com/PoorBillionaire/USN-Record-Carver | apt install |
| USN-Journal-Parser | usn.py -h | https://github.com/PoorBillionaire/USN-Journal-Parser | apt install |
| time_decode | time_decode.py -h | https://github.com/digitalsleuth/time_decode | Git clone |
| analyzeMFT | analyzeMFT.py -h | https://github.com/dkovar/analyzeMFT | Customized scirpt |
| libvshadow | vshadowinfo -h | https://github.com/libyal/libvshadow | Customized scirpt |
| INDXParse | INDXParse.py - | Customized scirpt | |
| carving sqlite .db | undark -h | https://github.com/inflex/undark.git | Customized scirpt |
| stegdetect | stegdetect -V | Customized scirpt | |
| stegbreak | stegbreak -V | Customized scirpt | |
| stego-toolkit | jphide | Customized scirpt | |
| jpsestego-toolkitek | jpseek | Customized scirpt | |
| volatility-2 | vol.py -h | https://github.com/volatilityfoundation/volatility.git | Customized scirpt |
| liblnk-utils | lnkinfo -h | apt install | |
| JLECmd | https://f001.backblazeb2.com/file/EricZimmermanTools/JLECmd.zip | Git clone | |
| recentfilecache-parser | https://github.com/prolsen/recentfilecache-parser | ||
| LogFileParser | https://github.com/jschicht/LogFileParser.git | Git clone | |
| UsnJrnl2Csv | ttps://github.com/jschicht/UsnJrnl2Csv.git | Git clone |
- Other tools installed via apt install python3-pip, leafpad, terminator, sqlite3, tree, xmlstarlet, libhivex-bin, pasco, libhivex-bin, npm, binwalk, foremost, hashdeep, ewf-tools, nautilus
Contribution
=============
- PI of the project
- Dr. Frank Xu (Email: fxu at ubalt dot edu)
- Student:
- Danny Ferreira (iPhone)
- Harleen Kaur (Partial of Android)
- Malcolm Hayward (P2P Leakage)
- Richard (Max) Wheeless (Hacking case)