analyzing-slack-space-and-file-system-artifacts

Installation
SKILL.md

Analyzing Slack Space and File System Artifacts

When to Use

  • When searching for hidden or residual data in file system slack space
  • For analyzing NTFS Master File Table (MFT) entries for deleted file metadata
  • When reconstructing file operations from the USN Change Journal
  • For detecting Alternate Data Streams (ADS) used to hide data or malware
  • During deep forensic analysis requiring examination beyond standard file recovery

Prerequisites

  • Forensic disk image with NTFS file system
  • The Sleuth Kit (TSK) tools: istat, icat, fls, blkls, blkstat
  • MFTECmd (Eric Zimmerman) for MFT parsing
  • MFTExplorer for interactive MFT analysis
  • Understanding of NTFS structures (MFT, $UsnJrnl, $LogFile, ADS)
  • Python with analyzeMFT or mft library for automated parsing

Workflow

Related skills
Installs
34
GitHub Stars
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First Seen
Mar 15, 2026