Digital forensics tools are highly popular among digital investigators, as they allow easily conducting of the necessary technical analyses. One of the most famous software programs for digital forensics is Autopsy, a toolkit that examines the images present on a device’s hard drive. Capable of interacting with personal computers and smartphones, Autopsy is highly versatile and contains several functions for properly investigating the image files present on the storage unit ( Autopsy , n.d.). Specifically, Autopsy allows viewing graphical information stored on the device, searching the repository for specific items, or extracting the data ( Autopsy , n.d.). Although this software is distributed freely, it remains an excellent tool for forensic analysis and is continuously updated to follow technological advances.
Some digital forensics software is incredibly specific, created to examine a particular system. As such, Arsenal Recon is an instrument constructed to explore the Windows operating system and its registry, thus accessing information about the device’s configuration specifics. Considering that a Windows registry contains a vast amount of information about the applications installed and data processed, Arsenal Recon can be extremely valuable when conducting a digital forensic investigation ( Arsenal Recon , n.d.). However, this software is produced commercially, it cannot be obtained free of charge, and $65 a month or $756 a year must be paid to receive access.
Finally, unique programs are required when working with a smartphone system. Cellebrite UFED is one of the methods used to retrieve data from various types of mobile devices, primarily modern-day smartphones that have distinct operating systems ( Cellebrite UFED , n.d.). In light of this evidence, Cellebrite UFED possesses a range of functions to remove the phone’s security measures, and access the information stored in the internal storage or on external cards ( Cellebrite UFED , n.d.). Nevertheless, the software can only be purchased for particular purposes, with prices starting at $2499.