Forensic Images for File Carving

Overview

This page contains links to dd images for the use of testing software applications with file carving capabilities. File carving is the practice of extracting files based on content, rather than on metadata. Extracting files from unallocated blocks is accomplished by identifying unique headers and footers associated with a specific file type.

Image Creation

For each image created there are six different levels, where each level represents a different scenario of fragmentation.

  1. Non fragmented files
  2. Sequential fragmentation
  3. Non sequential fragmentation
  4. Missing fragments
  5. Nested files
  6. Braided files                    

Five different file types were used to create the images.

  1. Graphics
  2. Documents
  3. Archives
  4. Audio
  5. Video

Image Layouts

A link to the un-fragmented files used to populate the thumb drive is provided below.  This provides a comparison to determine how well a tool performs carving on different file types for each level of fragmentation.

Original Files

Test Images

A total of 30 images were created. Each image contained no more than 10 files of a specific type. The files contained within an image are documented as such: file size, start sector, end sector.
The naming convention for the images is LEVEL_Filetype.dd.

Downloading the Test Images

The images are compressed with bzip2. To uncompress an image, run the bunzip2 program on the image. The command will look something like:
bunzip2 L0_Graphic.dd.bz2
The uncompressed file is then L0_Graphic.dd.
Of course, bunzip2 runs in a Linux environment. After uncompressing, the image file can be moved to another operating system where the tool under test is located.

Image

Description

File Types

L0_Graphic.dd

Non-fragmented graphics files

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L1_Graphic.dd

Sequentially fragmented graphics files

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L2_Graphic.dd

Non-sequentially fragmented graphics files

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L3_Graphic.dd

Graphics files with missing fragments

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L4_Graphic.dd

Graphics files nested within graphics files

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L5_Graphic.dd

Braided graphics files

JPG,PNG,BMP,GIF,TIF,PCX

L0_Documents.dd

Non-fragmented document files

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L1_Documents.dd

Sequentially fragmented document files

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L2_Documents.dd

Non-sequentially fragmented document files

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L3_Documents.dd

Document files with missing fragments

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L4_Documents.dd

Document files nested in document files

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L5_Documents.dd

Braided document files

DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF

L0_Archive.dd

Non-fragmented archive files

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L1_Archive.dd

Sequentially fragmented archive files

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L2_Archive.dd

Non-Sequentially fragmented archive files

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L3_Archive.dd

Archive files with missing fragments

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L4_Archive.dd

Archive files nested in archive files

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L5_Archive.dd

Braided archive files

7Z,BZ2,GZ,TAR,WIM,RAR,ZIP

L0_Audio.dd

Non-Fragmented audio files

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L1_Audio.dd

Sequentially fragmented audio files

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L2_Audio.dd

Non-Sequentially fragmented audio files

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L3_Audio.dd

Audio files with missing fragments

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L4_Audio.dd

Audio files nested in audio files

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L5_Audio.dd

Braided audio files

MP3,WAV,AU,WMA

L0_Video.dd

Non-Fragmented video files

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV

L1_Video.dd

Sequentially fragmented video files

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV

L2_Video.dd

Non-sequentially fragmented video files

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV

L3_Video.dd

Video files with missing fragments

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV

L4_Video.dd

Video files nested in video files

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV

L5_Video.dd

Braided video files

MP4,AVI,MOV,FLV,MPG,WMV