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Forensic analysis of Tor in Windows environment: A case study

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Published:23 August 2022Publication History

ABSTRACT

The Tor browser is a popular tool that is used by many users around the world. The browser is common among cyber criminals who use the tool to hide their activities. Until now, little research has been conducted by forensics researchers on the Tor browser, its application, and the data that can be obtained from the artefacts generated from its execution. In this work, we present a forensics analysis of the footprint left by the Tor application in the Windows environment. Our analysis focuses on three critical areas that are examined: network, memory, and hard disk. We provide a methodology that allows a structured forensic investigation. In this work, we examine multiple tools’ abilities in obtaining artefacts. The artefacts were identified not only when the Tor browser was running, but also when it was closed and uninstalled. We provide a methodology to analyse Tor applications with a focused case study of the Tor browser, allowing investigators to analyse Tor browsers and reproduce our results.

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      • Published in

        cover image ACM Other conferences
        ARES '22: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security
        August 2022
        1371 pages
        ISBN:9781450396707
        DOI:10.1145/3538969

        Copyright © 2022 ACM

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        Publication History

        • Published: 23 August 2022

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