Ubuntu Manpage: scalpel - Recover files using a header/footer database

NAME

       scalpel - Recover files using a header/footer database

SYNOPSIS

       scalpel [-b] [-c <file>] [-d] [-h] [-i <file>] [-m <blocksize>] [-n] [-o <dir>] [-O] [-p] [-r] [-s <num>]
       [-t] [-u] [-V] [-v] [FILES]...

DESCRIPTION

Recover files from a disk image or raw block device based on headers and footers specified by the user.

-b Carve files even if defined footers aren't discovered within maximum carve size for file type
[foremost 0.69 compat mode]

-c file
Chooses which configuration file to use. If this option is omitted, then "scalpel.conf" in the
current directory is used. The format for the configuration file is described in the default
configuration file "scalpel.conf". See the CONFIGURATION FILE section below for more information.

-d Generate header/footer database; will bypass certain optimizations and discover all footers, so
performance suffers. Doesn't affect the set of files carved. **EXPERIMENTAL**

-m Generate/update carve coverage blockmap file. The first 32bit unsigned int in the file identifies
the block size. Thereafter each 32bit unsigned int entry in the blockmap file corresponds to one
block in the image file. Each entry counts how many carved files contain this block. Requires
more memory and disk. **EXPERIMENTAL**

-h Show a help screen and exit.

-i file
file is used as a list of input files to examine. Each line in the specified file should contain a
single filename.

-o directory
Recovered files are written to the directory directory. Scalpel requires that this directory be
either empty or not exist. The directory will be created if necessary.

-O Don't organize carved files by type. Default is to organize carved files into subdirectories to
make previewing of large numbers of carved files easier.

-p Perform image file preview; audit log indicates which files would have been carved, but no files
are actually carved.

-q clustersize
Carve only when header is cluster-aligned.

-r Find only first of overlapping headers/footers [foremost 0.69 compat mode]

-s number
Skips number bytes in each input file before beginning the search for file headers and footers.

-t Set directory for coverage blockmap. **EXPERIMENTAL**

-u Use carve coverage blockmap when carving. Carve only sections of the image whose entries in the
blockmap are 0. These areas are treated as contiguous regions. **EXPERIMENTAL**

-V Show copyright information and exit.

-v Enables verbose mode. This causes copious amounts of debugging information to be output.

CONFIGURATION FILE

       The configuration file is used to control the types of files Scalpel will attempt  to  carve.   A  sample
       configuration  file,  "scalpel.conf",  is  included  with  this  distribution.  For  each  file type, the
       configuration file describes the file's extension, whether the header and footer are case sensitive,  the
       maximum  file size, and the header and footer for the file. The footer field is optional, but the header,
       size, case sensitivity, and extension fields are required.

       Important note: The default configuration file has all supported file patterns  commented  out--you  must
       edit this before before running Scalpel.

       Any line in the configuration file that begins with a pound sign is considered a comment and ignored.

       Headers  and  footers are decoded before use. To specify a value in hexadecimal use \x[0-f][0-f], and for
       octal use \[1-9][1-9][1-9].  Spaces can be represented by \s. Example: "\x4F\123\I\sCCI" decodes to  "OSI
       CCI".

       To  match  any  single character (aka a wildcard) use a '?'. If you need to search for the '?' character,
       you will need to change the 'wildcard' line *and* every occurrence of the old wildcard character  in  the
       configuration file, including those appearing in hex and octal values. '?' is equal to \x3f and \063.

AUTHORS

       Written  by  Golden  G.  Richard III.  The first version of Scalpel was based on foremost 0.69, which was
       written by Special Agent Kris Kendall and Special Agent Jesse Kornblum of the  United  States  Air  Force
       Office of Special Investigations.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

       It  is  currently  not  possible  to  carve  physical block devices directly using the Windows version of
       Scalpel.  This is a limitation that will be removed in a future release of Scalpel.

REPORTING BUGS

       When submitting a bug report, please include a description of the problem, how you  found  it,  and  your
       contact information.

       Send bug reports to:
       golden@digitalforensicssolutions.com

COPYRIGHT

       This  is  free  software.  There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
       PURPOSE.