What file system is commonly analyzed in forensic investigations?

In forensic investigations, the NTFS (New Technology File System) is commonly analyzed due to its advanced features and widespread use in Windows operating systems. NTFS supports a variety of attributes that are crucial for forensic analysis, such as file permissions, metadata, and timestamps that provide information about file creation, modification, and last access times. These attributes are essential in reconstructing user activity and understanding the context surrounding a digital incident.

Additionally, NTFS allows for journaling, which means that it keeps track of changes made to the file system. This feature can help forensic investigators recover information about deleted files or changes made to existing files, making it a valuable source of evidence. The use of symbolic links and the ability to handle large volumes of data further enhance NTFS's capabilities for managing complex forensic investigations.

While other file systems such as FAT32, HFS+, and ext4 are important and may be analyzed as well, NTFS is particularly prevalent due to its association with modern Windows environments and its robust features that support thorough forensic analysis.