Digital Forensics with Autopsy: Case Setup and Evidence Preprocessing

Digital investigations require a structured, repeatable, and forensically sound workflow from the very first step. This text-based course guides you through the foundational stages of using Autopsy, the premier open-source digital forensics platform, to set up cases and prepare evidence for analysis. You will transition from understanding basic forensic concepts to confidently initializing a case, importing data sources, and running automated ingest modules. By studying clear explanations and step-by-step workflows, you will learn how to prepare digital evidence for deep-dive analysis while maintaining data integrity. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of digital forensics and the Autopsy interface - Configure a new forensic case with proper metadata and investigator details - Import various evidence types safely, including disk images and logical files - Configure and run ingest modules for automated preprocessing and artifact extraction - Identify modern system artifacts, including browser history and recent database files - Generate structured forensic reports to document your initial findings This course begins with essential terminology and the fundamentals of forensic integrity before moving into hands-on configuration steps. You will explore how Autopsy processes data behind the scenes, ensuring you understand not just which buttons to click, but the forensic science behind them. This course is designed for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, incident responders, and IT administrators looking for a practical, beginner-friendly introduction to digital forensics. No prior experience with forensic tools is required. Start building your digital forensics skillset and master the essentials of case preparation today.