In the case of a Mac, forensic imaging can be done using the target mode feature, which allows the Mac to be connected to another computer as a external drive. This allows the forensic analyst to create a forensic image of the Mac's hard drive using forensic imaging tools on the other computer.
One way to perform forensic imaging of a Mac in target mode using Linux is to use the dd tool. Dd is a command-line utility that allows the forensic analyst to create a bit-level copy of a storage device. To create a forensic image of a Mac in target mode using dd, the analyst would follow these steps:
Connect the Mac to the forensic computer using a firewire or thunderbolt cable.
Boot the Mac into target mode by holding down the "T" key during startup.
On the forensic computer, open a terminal and enter the following command (assuming the new drive is sdc):
dd if=/dev/sdc of=image.dd bs=1M
This command will create a forensic image of the Mac's hard drive and save it as a file called image.dd. The "bs" parameter specifies the block size, which determines the speed of the imaging process.
Another tool that can be used for forensic imaging of a Mac in target mode is dcfldd. Dcfldd is similar to dd, but has additional features such as the ability to hash the image as it is being created, which can be useful for verifying the integrity of the image. To create a forensic image using dcfldd, the analyst would enter the following command:
This command will create a forensic image of the Mac's hard drive and save it as a file called image.dd. It will also create hashes of the image using the MD5 and SHA-256 algorithms, and save the hashes to a file called hashes.txt.
Once the forensic image has been created, it can be analyzed using a variety of forensic tools. These tools can be used to search for evidence such as deleted files, internet history, and system logs.
In conclusion, forensic imaging is an important step in the forensic process, and Linux tools such as dd and dcfldd are useful in creating reliable and verifiable forensic images of a Mac in target mode. These tools allow forensic analysts to preserve the original evidence and conduct a thorough analysis of the contents of a Mac's hard drive.
