Automated USB Parsers Tools
Streamlining Forensic Investigations
In this lesson, we focus on USB Detective, a powerful automated tool designed to simplify USB forensic investigations. By parsing USB-related artifacts and presenting the data in a structured format, USB Detective significantly reduces manual effort and accelerates analysis.
What is USB Detective?
USB Detective automates the extraction and analysis of critical USB activity, including:
USB Connection History
Device Metadata
Key Timestamps:
First Connection
Last Connection
Disconnection Time
Files and Folders Accessed via USB
Supported Artifacts for Parsing:
Registry Hives:
NTUSER.dat
SYSTEM
Event Logs
Acquiring Artifacts with KAPE
Before using USB Detective, you’ll need to gather relevant artifacts with KAPE (Kroll Artifact Parser and Extractor). These artifacts include:
SYSTEM
NTUSER.dat
USRCLASS.dat
Event Logs
Using USB Detective
Step 1: Launch USB Detective
Open the tool and click "Select Files/Folders" on the main interface.
Step 2: Input Case Information
Enter the Case Name.
Specify a Directory for results.
Add the folder containing acquired artifacts such as registry hives and logs.
Step 3: Analyze USB Data
Load the artifacts to begin parsing.
Example: If only one USB device was connected, a single result will appear.
Exploring Results
USB Detective presents parsed data in an easy-to-navigate format, including:
1. USB Device Information
Manufacturer
Model
Serial Number
2. Key Timestamps
First Connection
Last Connection
Disconnection Time
3. File/Folder Access
Paths and Names of accessed files/folders.
Access Timestamps for each item.
Conclusion
USB Detective streamlines the traditionally labor-intensive process of analyzing USB activities by automating the extraction and presentation of:
Critical timestamps
Accessed files and folders
Detailed device metadata
This enables rapid, efficient USB forensic investigations, saving time and effort.
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