Re: [sleuthkit-users] Future of indexing in Autopsy and Sleuthkit

From: Matthew M. Shannon (mmshannat_private)
Date: Thu May 22 2003 - 17:35:28 PDT

  • Next message: Paul Bakker: "RE: Future of indexing in Autopsy and Sleuthkit"

    Paul Bakker wrote:
    
    > 
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    >Hello,
    >
    >As some people may already know, I am in the process of adding an Indexed Search feature to Autopsy and Sleuthkit, which are Open Source filesystem forensic tools.
    >
    >I have some issues that concern these additions and I would like to get community members' opinions on some of these. So anyone who is using Autopsy/Sleuthkit or just wants to give his/her opinion: Feel free to give your opinion and let me know if I should or should not implement these features/issues.
    >
    >Issue 1:
    >I think it is advisable to limit the indexed character range to only alphanumeric characters instead of the current limitation of all printable ASCII characters. The consequences are the following:
    > - POSITIVE: The size of the used index files is smaller (Now it's the size of the strings file of an image) Which is quite huge if you have just copied a 80 Gb partition.
    > - NEGATIVE: Indexed Searching on other characters will not be possible anymore.
    > - POSITIVE: It will be easier to search for substrings of words, which is not yet possible at the moment. (It is possible in both versions, but will take a huge extra space if used on the original charachter range)
    > - POSITIVE: Searching will be even quicker.
    >  
    >
    Paul, is it just me, or do I read that as alphanumeric only? I often 
    need to search for instances of email addresses, and while it is not 
    always mandatory, having access to the @ symbol sure does speed the 
    process up.
    
    >Issue 2:
    >Human readability of the files. A speedup in the indexed searching process and a redeuction of the size of the used files can be accomplished by changing the format of the index files. The consequence is that these cannot be read by a human anymore (No more text-format file). The consequences are the following:
    > - POSITIVE: Speed of searches is increased
    > - POSITIVE: Size of used files is reduces
    > - NEGATIVE: Files cannot be checked anymore with the human eye.
    >
    >For the moment this are the issues. Maybe more will come..
    >
    >  
    >
    Not an issue in my opinion, in fact I agree with another post that 
    mentioned making the file layout open, someone here will write a tool to 
    read it.
    
    
    
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