homepage
Open menu
Contact Sales
Go one level top
  • Train and Certify
    Free Course Demos

    Free course demos allow you to see course content, watch world-class instructors in action, and evaluate course difficulty.

    Train and Certify
    Immediately apply the skills and techniques learned in SANS courses, ranges, and summits
    Learn More
    • Overview
    • Courses
      • Overview
      • Full Course List
      • By Focus Areas
        • Cloud Security
        • Cyber Defense
        • Cybersecurity and IT Essentials
        • DFIR
        • Industrial Control Systems
        • Offensive Operations
        • Management, Legal, and Audit
      • By Skill Levels
        • New to Cyber
        • Essentials
        • Advanced
        • Expert
      • Training Formats
        • OnDemand
        • In-Person
        • Live Online
      • Free Course Demos
    • Training Roadmaps
      • Skills Roadmap
      • Focus Area Job Roles
        • Cyber Defense Job Roles
        • Offensive Operations Job Roles
        • DFIR Job Roles
        • Cloud Job Roles
        • ICS Job Roles
        • Leadership Job Roles
      • NICE Framework
        • Security Provisionals
        • Operate and Maintain
        • Oversee and Govern
        • Protect and Defend
        • Analyze
        • Collect and Operate
        • Investigate
        • Industrial Control Systems
      • European Skills Framework
    • GIAC Certifications
    • Training Events & Summits
      • Events Overview
      • In-Person Event Locations
        • Asia
        • Australia & New Zealand
        • Latin America
        • Mainland Europe
        • Middle East & Africa
        • Scandinavia
        • United Kingdom & Ireland
        • United States & Canada
      • Live Online Events List
      • Summits
    • OnDemand
    • Get Started in Cyber
      • Overview
      • Degree and Certificate Programs
      • Scholarships
      • Free Training & Resources
    • Cyber Ranges
  • Enterprise Solutions
    New Cyber Trends & Training in 2023

    This eBook offers a glimpse into the key threats that are expected to emerge as forecasted by SANS experts.

    Enterprise Solutions

    Build a world-class cyber team with our workforce development programs.

    Learn More
    • Overview
    • Group Purchasing
    • Build Your Team
      • Assessments
      • Private Training
      • By Industry
        • Health Care
        • Industrial Control Systems Security
        • Military
    • Leadership Training
      • Leadership Courses
      • Executive Cybersecurity Exercises
  • Security Awareness
    2023 Security Awareness Report

    Empowering Security Awareness teams with industry benchmarking, program growth, and career development.

    Security Awareness
    Increase your staff’s cyber awareness, help them change their behaviors, and reduce your organizational risk
    Learn More
    • Overview
    • Products & Services
      • Security Awareness Training
        • EndUser Training
        • Phishing Platform
      • Specialized
        • Developer Training
        • ICS Engineer Training
        • NERC CIP Training
        • IT Administrator
      • Risk Assessments
        • Knowledge Assessment
        • Culture Assessment
        • Behavioral Risk Assessment
    • OUCH! Newsletter
    • Career Development
      • Overview
      • Training & Courses
      • Professional Credential
    • Blog
    • Partners
    • Reports & Case Studies
  • Resources
    Security Policy Templates

    In collaboration with security subject-matter experts, SANS has developed a set of security policy templates for your use.

    Resources
    Enhance your skills with access to thousands of free resources, 150+ instructor-developed tools, and the latest cybersecurity news and analysis
    Browse Here
    • Overview
    • Webcasts
      • Webinars
      • Live Streams
        • Wait Just An Infosec
        • Cybersecurity Leadership
        • SANS Threat Analysis Rundown (STAR)
    • Free Cybersecurity Events
      • Free Events Overview
      • Summits
      • Solutions Forums
      • Community Nights
    • Content
      • Newsletters
        • NewsBites
        • @RISK
        • OUCH! Newsletter
      • Blog
      • Podcasts
        • Blueprint
        • Trust Me, I'm Certified
        • Cloud Ace
        • Wait Just an Infosec
      • Summit Presentations
      • Posters & Cheat Sheets
    • Internet Storm Center
    • Research
      • White Papers
      • Security Policies
    • Tools
    • Focus Areas
      • Cyber Defense
      • Cloud Security
      • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
      • Industrial Control Systems
      • Cyber Security Leadership
      • Offensive Operations
      • Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)
  • Get Involved
    Join the Community

    Membership of the SANS.org Community grants you access to cutting edge cyber security news, training, and free tools that can't be found elsewhere.

    Get Involved
    Help keep the cyber community one step ahead of threats. Join the SANS community or begin your journey of becoming a SANS Certified Instructor today.
    Learn More
    • Overview
    • Join the Community
    • Work Study
    • Teach for SANS
    • CISO Network
    • Partnerships
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • About
    Our Mission

    To empower current and future cybersecurity practitioners around the world with immediately useful knowledge and capabilities, we deliver industry-leading community programs, resources and training.

    About
    Learn more about how SANS empowers and educates current and future cybersecurity practitioners with knowledge and skills
    Learn More
    • SANS
      • Overview
      • Our Founder
      • Awards
    • Instructors
      • Our Instructors
      • Full Instructor List
    • Mission
      • Our Mission
      • Diversity
      • Scholarships
    • Contact
      • Contact Customer Service
      • Contact Sales
      • Press & Media Enquiries
    • Frequent Asked Questions
    • Customer Reviews
    • Press
    • Careers
  • SANS Sites
    • Australia
    • Brazil
    • France
    • India
    • Japan
    • Middle East & Africa
    • United Kingdom
  • Log In
  • Join
    • Account Dashboard
    • Log Out
  • Contact Sales
  1. Home >
  2. Blog >
  3. PTK: Evidence adding and Indexing
Michele Zambelli

PTK: Evidence adding and Indexing

December 10, 2008

At the moment the output formats used in computer forensics for the support of media duplication are mainly three:

  • ? dd (RAW image) — the best and most utilized format
  • ? Encase format (EWF) — closed format now widely supported by the CF products
  • ? AFF Lib Format— very complete but still expanding

PTK can recognize the above listed formats. Usually, a media copy can be made from a single file or on split files. PTK is able to recognize the split image situation and, given the first chunk, automatically import the additional files. No log files or other types of data are allowed inside the evidence directory (i.e. file.e01, file.e02, file.log is not permitted). Through TSK, PTK automatically recognizes every partition in the image including support for the following file systems type: NTFS, FAT, UFS 1, UFS 2, EXT2FS, EXT3FS, and ISO 9660. One may also define, if necessary, the original time zone. Remember that for the FAT file system, time information are saved according to the local system date. With PTK, during the FAT image importing, the timestamps are converted from the original system's local time into GMT/UTC time. For the NTFS file system, the timestamps are already saved in GMT/UTC format and thus the time zone setting represents only a visualization parameter that can be changed at all times. For every added evidence you can obviously calculate the hash code (MD5, SHA1) and check it with a well-known one.

In case PTK is not able to identify the file system the user can choose to import the image as RAM dump and make use of the RAM dump analysis or import it as RAW image and have the ability to analyse the disk through the Data Unit or to run the Live Keyword Search on it. During the evidence importing process it is possible to decide whether to create a symbolic link to the image or copy the entire evidence, split or not, inside the PTK directory images (%www path%/ptk/images).

Even if PTK doesn't change in any way the evidence file, it is advisable to always use a write blocker. In case the write block is Firewire, and not ATA, it is recommended that you copy the entire evidence on a disk in order to improve data access speed and the performance consequently. The indexing process requires a number of resources in terms of CPU and I/O disk. Once the evidence is imported it is possible to start working directly on it through various analysis modules (File Analysis, Live Keyword Search, Data Unit, etc..) or start the indexing process. PTK's indexing engine, discussed on in previous articles, allows one to perform different automated tasks and produce results that all investigators assigned to the case can consult. The indexing process supplies all investigators with its analysis results but it's launched only once by the Master Investigator. The diagram below contains the indexing process operated by PTK using TSK tools. The performance of the indexing engine was improved compared to the first beta versions.

The next article will deal with PTK's multi-user system, the possibility to forbid more than one investigator to access specific cases and the bookmarking features available for every investigator.

Michele Zambelli, GCFA SIlver #1856, is a member of PTK Team and a Security Consultant at DFLabs Italy.

Share:
TwitterLinkedInFacebook
Copy url Url was copied to clipboard
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe

By providing this information, you agree to the processing of your personal data by SANS as described in our Privacy Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tags:
  • Digital Forensics, Incident Response & Threat Hunting

Related Content

Blog
Malware_Blogs.png
Digital Forensics, Incident Response & Threat Hunting
September 21, 2023
Latest Must-Read Malware Analysis Blogs
In this post, we present a selection of recent malware analysis write-ups to highlight individuals' passion for malware analysis
Anuj_Soni_370x370.png
Anuj Soni
read more
Blog
blog_340x340_Digital_Forensics_Salary_Skills_and_Career_Path.jpg
Digital Forensics, Incident Response & Threat Hunting
March 30, 2023
Digital Forensics Salary, Skills, and Career Path
How to become a digital forensic analyst
thomas.jpg
Thomas Wolfe
read more
Blog
Digital Forensics, Incident Response & Threat Hunting
August 4, 2021
How You Can Start Learning Malware Analysis
Lenny Zeltser shares a roadmap for getting into malware analysis, with pointers to 10 hours of free recorded content and additional references.
Lenny_Portrait_New_370x370.jpg
Lenny Zeltser
read more
  • Register to Learn
  • Courses
  • Certifications
  • Degree Programs
  • Cyber Ranges
  • Job Tools
  • Security Policy Project
  • Posters & Cheat Sheets
  • White Papers
  • Focus Areas
  • Cyber Defense
  • Cloud Security
  • Cybersecurity Leadership
  • Digital Forensics
  • Industrial Control Systems
  • Offensive Operations
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe

By providing this information, you agree to the processing of your personal data by SANS as described in our Privacy Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • © 2023 SANS™ Institute
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn