Computer Forensics JumpStart, Second Edition

Know Your Operating System

Once you have a good inventory of the I/O devices on the network and have identified what kind of unapproved devices you might find, you must enumerate which operating systems (and versions) are in use throughout the organization.

It used to be that you would find only one type of operating system on a network. With the advent of mobile computing, Internet business, and corporate mergers, networks have become more complex and diverse. Typical computer examinations must adapt to the fast-changing and diverse world in which computer forensic science examiners work. Before you can begin a forensic investigation, you must be familiar with various operating systems you might encounter.

Commonly Encountered Operating Systems ...