1. A method of forensically analyzing data comprising: accessing a plurality of values representing data contained within a memory of a computer system; searching the plurality of values for a first identifying characteristic that indicates an operating system; upon finding the first identifying characteristic, searching for a second identifying characteristic that indicates an operating system; measuring a distance within the memory of the computer system between (i) the first identifying characteristic and (ii) the second identifying characteristic; and determining, from the distance between (i) the first identifying characteristic and (ii) the second identifying characteristic, a type and a version of an operating system loaded into the computer system's memory.