Chapter 5

Windows system artifacts

Abstract

Microsoft Windows is the most widely used operating system in the world. Thus, digital forensic examiners must have an understanding of how artifacts are created in Windows and how they can be used to track a user’s activity. This chapter covers deleted data and artifacts such as restore points, metadata, the Recycle Bin, and more.

Keywords

Deleted Data
Hiberfile.sys
Registry
Print Spooling
Recycle Bin
Metadata
Thumbnail Cache
Most Recently Used (MRU)
Restore Points (RPs)
Shadow Copies

“You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.”

—Sherlock Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia

Information in this chapter
Finding Deleted Data
Hibernation Files
Examining the Windows Registry
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