Autopsy.

Deepak gupta
3 min readOct 17, 2023

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Autopsy install process and definition.

Autopsy

In the context of digital forensics, an “autopsy” refers to a specific software tool and framework designed for analyzing and understanding digital artifacts and data. The name “Autopsy” is actually short for “The Sleuth Kit (TSK) Autopsy.” It is an open-source, graphical interface digital forensics platform that is used for examining and analyzing data from digital devices, such as computers, smartphones, and storage media, to uncover evidence related to computer crimes or digital incidents.

· Here are some key features and uses of Autopsy in digital forensics:

1. File System Analysis: Autopsy is primarily used to analyze file systems, including both live and disk-based file systems. It can recover deleted files, extract metadata, and analyze file attributes

2. Keyword and Text Search: It allows forensic examiners to search for specific keywords or phrases within the digital evidence. This is helpful in finding relevant information within a vast amount of data.

3. File Recovery: Autopsy can attempt to recover deleted files and help investigators reconstruct a timeline of activities.

4. Artifacts Analysis: It can identify and analyze various digital artifacts, such as browser history, chat logs, email messages, and more, which can be crucial in investigations.

5. Timeline Analysis: Autopsy can help in creating a timeline of events and actions on the digital device, aiding in reconstructing a sequence of activities.

6. Integration with Other Tools: Autopsy integrates with other digital forensics tools and utilities, making it a valuable part of a larger forensic toolkit.

v Autopsy is widely used by digital forensics experts and law enforcement agencies to examine digital evidence in criminal investigations, legal cases, and incident response situations. It is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible to both experienced forensic professionals and those who are relatively new to digital forensics.

How to use Autopsy use in digital investigation

Step 1: Run Autopsy and select New Case.

Step 2: Provide the Case Name and the directory to store the case file. Click on Next.

Step 3: Add Case Number and Examiner’s details, then click on Finish.

Step 4: Choose the required data source type, in this case Disk Image and click on Next.

Step 5: Give path of the data source and click on Next.

Step 6: Select the required modules and click on Next.

Step 7: After the data source has been added, click on Finish.

Step 8: You reach here once all the modules have been ingested. You can begin begin investigating but i recommend waiting until analysis and integrity check is complete.

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