Street Fighter: The Ultimate Portable Forensic Workstation
Introduction
In the ever-evolving field of computer forensics, the need for portability, power, and durability is paramount. Enter "Street Fighter," a custom-built forensic designed to perform intensive forensic tasks both in the field and in the office, providing unparalleled flexibility and performance.
Build Overview
The "Street Fighter" build is centered around the Pelican 1560 case, renowned for its durability and portability. This case is the perfect housing for a powerful desktop that needs to be both robust and mobile.
Core Components
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi 6E LGA 1700
A high-performance mini-ITX motherboard that supports the latest Intel processors, DDR5 memory, and PCIe 5.0, ensuring top-notch performance and future-proofing.
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K - Core i9 14th Gen 24-Core (8P+16E) LGA 1700
A powerhouse of a processor with 24 cores (8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores) to handle multiple forensic tasks simultaneously, making it ideal for heavy computational loads.
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance RGB 96GB (2 x 48GB) 288-Pin PC RAM DDR5 6800 (PC5 54400)
High-capacity, high-speed DDR5 memory that ensures smooth multitasking and fast data processing, essential for analyzing large datasets and running multiple applications.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition Graphics Card 24GB GDDR6X
One of the most powerful GPUs available, providing exceptional graphical processing power for tasks that require GPU acceleration, such as image and video analysis. Additionally, this GPU is capable of powering through thousands of passwords using tools like Passware and hashCat, significantly speeding up the decryption and password-cracking processes essential in forensic investigations.
Storage:
SAMSUNG SSD 990 PRO: A high-speed NVMe SSD for the operating system and software, ensuring fast boot times and application loading.
SAMSUNG 870 EVO Series 2.5" 2TB: Additional storage for case files, evidence, and other large data sets, offering reliable and fast data access.
Fan Hub: Noctua NA-FH1, 8 Channel Fan Hub
A fan hub that ensures optimal cooling by managing multiple fans, keeping the system cool even under heavy loads.
Monitor: espresso 17 Pro
A sleek and portable 17-inch touchscreen monitor that provides a high-quality display for detailed forensic work.
Forensic Tools
The "Street Fighter" build includes essential write-block tools to ensure data integrity during forensic investigations:
UltraBlock Forensic Card Reader
A versatile and reliable write-blocker that allows investigators to safely access data on various types of storage media (e.g., SD cards, CF cards) without the risk of altering or corrupting the data.
SAFE Block
A robust write-blocker designed for USB and SATA devices, ensuring that data can be read without modification, which is critical for maintaining the integrity of forensic evidence.
These writeblock tools are essential for forensic investigations as they provide the capability to:
Access and analyze data on various storage devices without altering the original content.
Ensure data integrity and authenticity, which is crucial for legal proceedings.
Streamline the process of data acquisition and analysis, making investigations more efficient.
Assembly Process
Assembling the "Street Fighter" was a meticulous process, requiring careful consideration of component placement and cable management to ensure optimal performance and airflow. The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I motherboard serves as the backbone of this build, providing support for the powerful Intel Core i9-14900K CPU and the high-capacity CORSAIR Vengeance RAM.
Challenges included fitting the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition Graphics Card within the compact space and ensuring proper cooling with the Noctua NA-FH1 fan hub. However, these were overcome with strategic component placement and efficient use of space.
Field and Office Work
The "Street Fighter" is designed to handle the most demanding forensic tasks, whether in the field or in the office. Its powerful components ensure that large data sets can be processed quickly, and its portable design means it can be deployed wherever it is needed.
Desktop vs. Laptop: Power and Performance
Desktops are generally more powerful than laptops for several reasons:
Thermal Management: Desktops have larger cases with better airflow, allowing them to house more powerful components and keep them cool under heavy loads. This means desktop CPUs and GPUs can run at higher speeds without throttling due to heat.
Component Flexibility: Desktops can accommodate a wider range of components, including high-performance CPUs, GPUs, and larger quantities of RAM. This flexibility allows for better performance and future upgrades.
Power Supply: Desktops have more robust power supplies, enabling them to support high-performance components that require more power than what a laptop can provide.
Customization and Expansion: Desktops offer greater customization and expansion options, including additional storage drives, expansion cards, and peripheral connectivity, making them more versatile for specialized tasks like forensic investigations.
Passware and hashCat
In forensic investigations, accessing encrypted data or password-protected files is a common challenge. Tools like Passware and hashCat are essential for overcoming these obstacles.
Passware:
A powerful software suite designed for password recovery and decryption. Passware can recover passwords for over 300 file types, including Microsoft Office documents, archives, and disk images. It also decrypts BitLocker and TrueCrypt volumes, making it a versatile tool for forensic investigations.
hashCat:
An advanced password recovery tool that uses GPU acceleration to perform high-speed brute-force attacks. hashCat supports a wide range of hashing algorithms and is highly customizable, allowing forensic investigators to optimize their password-cracking strategies. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in the "Street Fighter" build provides exceptional performance, enabling hashCat to process thousands of passwords per second.
All-in-One Portability: Grab and Go
One of the standout features of the "Street Fighter" is its all-in-one design. By integrating all the necessary components into a single, portable case, this build offers unparalleled convenience for forensic investigators:
Ease of Transport: The Pelican 1560 case is designed for mobility, allowing investigators to quickly grab the system and go whenever and wherever it's needed.
Rugged Protection: The durable case protects the powerful internal components, ensuring the system can withstand the rigors of fieldwork.
Quick Deployment: With everything housed in one unit, setup time is minimized. Investigators can start working immediately upon arrival at a scene or in the office.
Conclusion
"Street Fighter" offers a unique combination of power, portability, and durability, making it an invaluable tool for forensic investigators. Its robust build and high-performance components ensure that it can handle any task, anywhere, with the added benefit of being a grab-and-go system.
Photo Gallery
This article provides an overview of the "Street Fighter" build, showcasing its capabilities and highlighting its importance in computer forensics.
Emory “Casey” Mullis
Criminal Investigator
Coweta County Sheriff’s Office
Emory Casey Mullis has been in Law Enforcement for over 20 years, encompassing both military and civilian roles. His journey with computers began with a Gateway 266 MHz, which was the pinnacle of consumer technology at the time, costing around $2000. Driven by pure curiosity, he disassembled his new computer right out of the box, much to the dismay of his wife, who insisted, "It better work when you put it back together!" This hands-on experience provided him with a foundational understanding of computer hardware and sparked his career as a Cyber Investigator.
Over the years, Casey has tackled numerous cyber cases, continually honing his skills and knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of questioning, challenging, and testing daily to stay abreast of the latest tools, software, and technologies. Despite the ongoing challenges, he thrives on the dynamic nature of cyber forensics and eagerly embraces every opportunity to learn and grow in this ever-evolving field.
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