Forensic Materialism
Digital files are not transparent windows into content; they are opaque artifacts constructed from layers of code, compression, and encoding. Forensic Materialism is the methodology that treats the file not as a container, but as a physical object with specific properties (density, fragility, structure).
A simple text file (`.txt`) is not just words; it is an encoding decision (ASCII vs UTF-8), a line-ending philosophy (CRLF vs LF), and a storage allocation on a physical disk.
The Four Phases of Excavation
While law enforcement uses forensics to find guilt, Archaeobytologists use it to find meaning. The workflow typically follows four phases:
1. Acquisition
Creating a bit-perfect copy (disk image) of the artifact without altering a single zero or one. The "Golden Rule" of forensics is: Never work on the original.
2. Data Carving
When filesystems are corrupted or files have been deleted, "carving" tools (like PhotoRec)
scan the raw magnetic terrain looking for file headers (signatures). It is archaeology in the
dark—feeling for the shape of a JPEG (FF D8 FF) amidst a sea of noise.
3. Analysis
The deep reading of the artifact. This includes:
- Format Analysis: Identifying the true nature of a file (e.g., a malware executable disguised as a PDF).
- Metadata Extraction: Reading the "hidden story" embedded in the file headers (timestamps, author names, GPS coordinates).
- Timeline Reconstruction: Using MAC times (Modified, Accessed, Created) to build a chronology of the artifact's life.
4. Authentication
Proving the artifact is what it claims to be. We use Cryptographic Hashing (MD5, SHA-256) to generate unique fingerprints for files, establishing a verifiable "Chain of Custody."
Field Notes
The Illusion of Transparency: Do not be fooled by the screen. The image you see is a rendering, an interpretation performed by software. The real artifact is the code underneath. To understand the artifact, you must look at the hex.
The "Deleted" Fallacy: In digital space, "delete" rarely means "erase." It usually means "forget." The filesystem removes the pointer, but the data remains until it is overwritten. To the forensic eye, a formatted hard drive is often as legible as a library book.