Question

Conduct an Internet search on two widely used GUI forensic tools, Guidance Software EnCase and AccessData FTK. Write a 1-page report comparing their features and indicate the functionalities you found most beneficial for the project. In your report, include a table outline of each tool’s capabilities. Integrity should be checked before installing any applications. Two different inputs cannot yield the same output for a hash function without collision. Calculate hash values using your name, for example “John X. Smith” and “John X Smith” (Note: there is no “.” after the middle initial for the second example.). If you don’t have a middle name, use “X” as your middle name. Compare the two hash values and include the findings in your report. (For calculating hash, you can use any tools that are available, such as http://www.fileformat.info/tool/hash.htm).

Grading criteria

Forensic tool comparison

You thoroughly and effectively compare the features and functionality of Guidance Software EnCase and AccessData FTK Imager.

You compare the features and functionality of Guidance Software EnCase and AccessData FTK Imager.

You unclearly and/or incompletely compare the features and functionality of Guidance Software EnCase and AccessData FTK Imager.

You carelessly and ineffectively compare the features and functionality of Guidance Software EnCase and AccessData FTK Imager.

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Table

You include an accomplished table that clearly compares various aspects of the two forensic tools.

You include a table that compares various aspects of the two forensic tools.

You include an insubstantial table that minimally compares aspects of the two forensic tools.

You include a deficient table that barely compares the two forensic tools.

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Organization

You arrange ideas clearly and logically to support the purpose or argument; ideas flow smoothly and are effectively linked; reader has no trouble following the line of reasoning, which is convincing; you follow the formatting guidelines for the activity.

You arrange ideas competently to support the purpose or argument; links between ideas are generally clear; reader can follow the line of reasoning; you follow the formatting guidelines for the activity.

You arrange ideas unclearly, and some ideas may be poorly developed; reader is somewhat confused about the line of reasoning; you incompletely follow the formatting guidelines for the activity.

You arrange ideas illogically; ideas frequently fail to make sense together; reader cannot identify a line of reasoning and may become frustrated or lose interest; you do not follow the formatting guidelines for the activity.

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Mechanics

You write in complete, well-constructed sentences with faultless grammar, word choice, punctuation, and spelling; writing is sharp, coherent, and demonstrates sophisticated clarity.

You write in complete sentences with mostly correct grammar, word choice, punctuation, and spelling; minor errors may exist but do not compromise meaning.

You write in unclear sentences with significant errors in grammar, word choice, punctuation, and spelling that may compromise meaning.

You write in incomplete, incomprehensible sentences filled with serious errors in grammar, word choice, punctuation, or spelling.

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Documentation

You exceed stated requirements in terms of references or meet requirements but treat the references with exceptional skill; you attribute sources consistently using IEEE, ACM, or APA style.

You meet stated requirements in terms of references and use them capably; you attribute sources using IEEE, ACM, or APA style.

You meet stated requirements in terms of references and use them tenuously; your use of IEEE, ACM, or APA style has numerous small errors or you include elements of different styles.

You do not meet stated requirements in terms of references and treat them inadequately; you do not use IEEE, ACM, or APA style or you use one of those styles in an incomplete or incompetent manner.

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Answer 1

For the comparison of the hash values of the name “John X. Smith” and “John X Smith”, below is the attached screenshot of the hash value.

If we look at the length of the name “John X. Smith”, it has 13 bytes length including the spaces. Whereas, in “John X Smith” it has only 12 bytes including the spaces. So, there should be a huge difference in the hash values of both these names. All hash values such as MD2, MD4, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-512 will differ in both the names. The hash values can be same as it can be vulnerable to attacks. So, it is important that for each small changes the hash value must differ from other. This way the security can be maintained.