Could there be valuable data in unallocated space?

The unallocated space on a hard drive can contain valuable evidence. Extracting this data is no simple task. The process is known as file carving and can be done manually or with the help of a tool.

1. Could there be complete files in unallocated space?
2. Why would someone put data in unallocated space?
3. Can you hide data in unallocated space?
4. What is the difference between free space and unallocated space?
5. Is anything ever really deleted from your computer?
6. What does Unallocate mean?
7. Why is unallocated space important to forensic investigator?
8. What is the INFO2 file used for?
9. What is the unused space between partitions called?
10. How does file carving work?
11. What is leftover space in a file storage cluster called?

Could there be complete files in unallocated space?

Unallocated space potentially contains complete and partial files that can remain untouched for long periods of time. The residual data cannot be viewed by an ordinary computer user, but can be discovered and extracted using data recovery or computer forensics software utilities.

Why would someone put data in unallocated space?

Unallocated space, also referred to as “free space,” is the area on a hard drive where new files can be stored. ... When a user saves a file on a hard drive, it is stored using a file system that tracks the physical location of files in allocated space.

Can you hide data in unallocated space?

The boot sectors in non-bootable partitions (see Figure 1, item 5) is available to hide data. Any space in a partition not currently allocated (i.e., unallocated space) , to a particular file (see Figure 1, item 6) cannot be accessed by the operating system.

What is the difference between free space and unallocated space?

Free space is the usable space on a Simple Volume created on a Partition. A Simple Volume creates a drive on the Computer. That space can be used and accessed on the PC. Unallocated space is the unused space on the Hard disk which has not been partitioned into a Volume or Drive.

Is anything ever really deleted from your computer?

When you delete a file on your computer, it disappears, but have you ever wondered if it's really gone? The short answer, yes. The long answer, no. Instead of being scrubbed from your hard drive, it's moved to your computer's Recycle Bin, and there it sits until you delete it from there as well.

What does Unallocate mean?

: not apportioned or distributed for a specific purpose : not allocated unallocated funds.

Why is unallocated space important to forensic investigator?

Forensic Analysis

Recall that, on storage media, the space that is available to store new data is called unallocated space. This area on a disk is important from an investigative standpoint because it often contains significant amounts of data from deleted files.

What is the INFO2 file used for?

What is INFO2? (Windows XP ver.) -A hidden file that is created and stores the original file name and path. -When the bin is emptied, the space is reallocated for the use of the OS, so it is not deleted until written over. -If the file is taken out of the Bin, the INFO2 file is used to restore the name and path.

What is the unused space between partitions called?

Hidden partitions or voids refer to large unused gaps between partitions on a disk drive.

How does file carving work?

File carving is the process of reconstructing files by scanning the raw bytes of the disk and reassembling them. This is usually done by examining the header (the first few bytes) and footer (the last few bytes) of a file.

What is leftover space in a file storage cluster called?

Slack space is the leftover storage that exists on a computer's hard disk drive when a computer file does not need all the space it has been allocated by the operating system.