Hello there,
Due to the nature of my final year project, I will be required to access and review many forensic software applications. As many as I can get my hands on is obviously the better, but the top dogs such as EnCase and FTK are what I have my eye on.
My University is provided with licences for an outdated version of FTK - which is great, I'm not ungrateful. But I intend to make my research project as up-to-scratch as possible, thus requiring practical experience with these applications.
Whom do you recommend I contact? Although this is for my project, this will also be of great benefit for me after I graduate. Many companies and public sectors are using these applications on a day-to-day or explicitly on a case-to-case basis, and a graduate with experience in these applications will always be more favourable. So not just for a project point of view, but from a perspective of betting myself as a Forensic Tech.
My course has predominately focused on looking at raw data with open source tools. Which is great, it gives you a better and broader understanding when looking at evidence, and also forces you appreciate the sensitivity of evidence handling and integrity. Although I do fear it makes me less appealing on paper - a few of my course mates know friends of friends or family members who work in this industry and have experienced days out working with modern forensic software. I feel under pressure to get my foot in the door quickly.
Any advice or a small bread crumb on where to go, would be greatly appreciated!
Guidance Software used to sell highly discounted versions of EnCase directly to students for educational purposes.
It's been a couple of years, so I am not sure if they still offer it but it can't hurt to give them a call! -)
It may be worth approaching Xways to see what they might be willing to offer by way of an education license for the university.
I think any review of forensic tools would suffer without it's inclusion along with FTK and EnCase.
Please check your PM
Brilliant suggestions and a couple of PM giving opportunities for free or trialed licences. Thank you for your support!