Systems and methods for graphical exploration of forensic data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of examining digital forensic data using a viewer computer comprising a memory and a processor, the digital forensic data extracted from at least one target device by a forensic data retrieval application, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the viewer computer, a data collection generated by the forensic data retrieval application, the data collection comprising a plurality of data items extracted from the at least one target device;
scanning the data collection to identify a plurality of data artifacts;
for a first artifact in the plurality of artifacts, determining at least one attribute possessed by the first artifact, and adding the first artifact to at least one of a plurality of ontological sets based on possession of the at least one attribute, wherein the plurality of ontological sets comprises a first ontological set associated with a first attribute, and a second ontological set associated with a second attribute;
providing a forensic data investigation application to the viewer computer;
receiving a selection of the first ontological set in the forensic data investigation application;
determining that the first ontological set is related to the plurality of ontological sets;
displaying the first ontological set and the plurality of ontological sets in an ontological display in a graphical user interface, wherein each of the plurality of ontological sets are displayed respectively as nodes in a graph, and wherein each of the nodes is selectable in the graphical user interface;
for each respective set in the plurality of ontological sets, determining a respective relationship between the first ontological set and the respective set, and displaying a respective edge connecting a first node representing the first ontological set and a respective node representing the respective set, wherein each respective edge is selectable in the graphical user interface;
receiving a user edge selection of a selected edge in the graphical user interface;
determining a selected ontological definition associated with the edge;
determining a selected subject, a selected object and a selected predicate associated with the selected ontological definition;
displaying data associated with the selected subject and the selected object in the graphical user interface;
receiving at least one filter input via the graphical user interface;
filtering the graphical user interface based on the at least one filter input; and
displaying an active filter indication to indicate that the graphical user interface is filtered based on the at least one filter input.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for examining digital forensic data using a viewer computer. Forensic data collections are provided to the viewer computer, which can format the data artifacts according to a variety of display types and presentation formats, to facilitate review and reporting by a user. The display types and presentation formats also enable the user to easily switch between a source location view and a related artifacts view.
33 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of examining digital forensic data using a viewer computer comprising a memory and a processor, the digital forensic data extracted from at least one target device by a forensic data retrieval application, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the viewer computer, a data collection generated by the forensic data retrieval application, the data collection comprising a plurality of data items extracted from the at least one target device; scanning the data collection to identify a plurality of data artifacts; for a first artifact in the plurality of artifacts, determining at least one attribute possessed by the first artifact, and adding the first artifact to at least one of a plurality of ontological sets based on possession of the at least one attribute, wherein the plurality of ontological sets comprises a first ontological set associated with a first attribute, and a second ontological set associated with a second attribute; providing a forensic data investigation application to the viewer computer; receiving a selection of the first ontological set in the forensic data investigation application; determining that the first ontological set is related to the plurality of ontological sets; displaying the first ontological set and the plurality of ontological sets in an ontological display in a graphical user interface, wherein each of the plurality of ontological sets are displayed respectively as nodes in a graph, and wherein each of the nodes is selectable in the graphical user interface; for each respective set in the plurality of ontological sets, determining a respective relationship between the first ontological set and the respective set, and displaying a respective edge connecting a first node representing the first ontological set and a respective node representing the respective set, wherein each respective edge is selectable in the graphical user interface; receiving a user edge selection of a selected edge in the graphical user interface; determining a selected ontological definition associated with the edge; determining a selected subject, a selected object and a selected predicate associated with the selected ontological definition; displaying data associated with the selected subject and the selected object in the graphical user interface; receiving at least one filter input via the graphical user interface; filtering the graphical user interface based on the at least one filter input; and displaying an active filter indication to indicate that the graphical user interface is filtered based on the at least one filter input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, the instructions when executed by a computer processor for causing the computer processor to carry out a method of examining digital forensic data using a viewer computer comprising a memory and the computer processor, the digital forensic data extracted from at least one target device by a forensic data retrieval application, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the viewer computer, a data collection generated by the forensic data retrieval application, the data collection comprising a plurality of data items extracted from the at least one target device; scanning the data collection to identify a plurality of data artifacts; for a first artifact in the plurality of artifacts, determining at least one attribute possessed by the first artifact, and adding the first artifact to at least one of a plurality of ontological sets based on possession of the at least one attribute, wherein the plurality of ontological sets comprises a first ontological set associated with a first attribute, and a second ontological set associated with a second attribute; executing a forensic data investigation application at the viewer computer; receiving a selection of the first ontological set in the forensic data investigation application; determining that the first ontological set is related to the plurality of ontological sets; displaying the first ontological set and the plurality of ontological sets in an ontological display in a graphical user interface, wherein each of the plurality of ontological sets are displayed respectively as nodes in a graph, and wherein each of the nodes is selectable in the graphical user interface; for each respective set in the plurality of ontological sets, determining a respective relationship between the first ontological set and the respective set, and displaying a respective edge connecting a first node representing the first ontological set and a respective node representing the respective set, wherein each respective edge is selectable in the graphical user interface; receiving a user edge selection of a selected edge in the graphical user interface; determining a selected ontological definition associated with the edge; determining a selected subject, a selected object and a selected predicate associated with the selected ontological definition; and displaying data associated with the selected subject and the selected object in the graphical user interface; receiving at least one filter input via the graphical user interface; filtering the graphical user interface based on the at least one filter input; and displaying an active filter indication to indicate that the graphical user interface is filtered based on the at least one filter input.
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14. A viewer computer for examining digital forensic data extracted from at least one target device by a forensic data retrieval application, the viewer computer comprising a memory and a processor, the processor configured to:
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receive, at the viewer computer, a data collection generated by the forensic data retrieval application, the data collection comprising a plurality of data items extracted from the at least one target device; scan the data collection to identify a plurality of data artifacts; for a first artifact in the plurality of artifacts, determine at least one attribute possessed by the first artifact, and add the first artifact to at least one of a plurality of ontological sets based on possession of the at least one attribute, wherein the plurality of ontological sets comprises a first ontological set associated with a first attribute, and a second ontological set associated with a second attribute; provide a forensic data investigation application to the viewer computer; receive a selection of the first ontological set in the forensic data investigation application; determine that the first ontological set is related to the plurality of ontological sets; display the first ontological set and the plurality of ontological sets in an ontological display in a graphical user interface, wherein each of the plurality of ontological sets are displayed respectively as nodes in a graph, and wherein each of the nodes is selectable in the graphical user interface; for each respective set in the plurality of ontological sets, determine a respective relationship between the first ontological set and the respective set, and display a respective edge connecting a first node representing the first ontological set and a respective node representing the respective set, wherein each respective edge is selectable in the graphical user interface; receive a user edge selection of a selected edge in the graphical user interface; determine a selected ontological definition associated with the edge; determine a selected subject, a selected object and a selected predicate associated with the selected ontological definition; and display data associated with the selected subject and the selected object in the graphical user interface; receive at least one filter input via the graphical user interface; filter the graphical user interface based on the at least one filter input; and display an active filter indication to indicate that the graphical user interface is filtered based on the at least one filter input.
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Specification