Live View is a Java-based graphical forensics tool that creates a VMware virtual machine out of a raw (dd-style) disk image or physical disk.

This allows the forensic examiner to "boot up" the image or disk and gain an interactive, user-level perspective of the environment, all without modifying the underlying image or disk. Because all changes made to the disk are written to a separate file, the examiner can instantly revert all of his or her changes back to the original pristine state of the disk.

The end result is that one need not create extra "throw away" copies of the disk or image to create the virtual machine.

Live View is capable of booting:

• Full disk raw images
• Bootable partition raw images
• Physical Disks (attached via a USB or Firewire bridge)

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows XP, 2000, 2003, NT, Me, 98
• Linux (limited support)

Behind the scenes, Live View automates a wide array of technical tasks. Some of these include: resolving hardware conflicts resulting from booting on hardware other than that on which the OS was originally installed; creating a customized MBR for partition-only images; and correctly specifying a virtual disk to match the original image or physical disk.

Live View is developed by CERT, Software Engineering Institute

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