"Misty" has updated Mini-WinFE, the quick and easy build of the Windows Forensic Environment.  There are some pretty neat updates to the build (listed below).  So far, the best documentation I have seen on WinFE, specifically Mini-WinFE is here: http://mistype.reboot.pro/documents/WinFE/winfe.htm. This is the kind of stuff you want to read in order to really know as much about WinFE as possible.  Another really good source of info on mistype is at http://mistype.reboot.pro/mistype.docs/readme.html.

Before I get any complaints about "WinFE is not perfect" or "WinFE can't do everything", let me that yes that is correct. It is not perfect and cannot do everything.  In the world of forensically booting evidence machines, some Linux bootable environments work very well too.  Some machines can't be booted forensically, that is true as well.  But for the marjority of systems that can be booted forensically, WinFE has its place.  For the average and above-average examiner needing to boot the evidence machine, there are few options available that make it super-easy to add drivers on the fly or use your Windows based apps from the office rather than Linux based you hardly (if ever) use.

If you haven't checked out WinFE, you should.  Everyone else is already on board :)

Some tidbits in the Mini-WinFE include:

• DMDE (included)


• Forensic Acquisition Utilities (downloaded automatically)


• FTK Imager (copied from local install)


• HWiNFO (included)


• LinuxReader (downloaded automatically)


• MW Snap (included)


• NT Password Edit (included)


• Opera (included)


• Sumatra PDF Reader (included)


• X-Ways Forensics (copied from local install)


• Write Protect Tool (included)


 

[caption id="attachment_1177" align="aligncenter" width="806"] You gotta download the new version and check it out. It's plain cool. http://reboot.pro/files/file/375-mini-winfe/


 

2014.04.26

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* Added a number of additional options in the core script - 

  these are all enabled by default. The new options will 

  remove a number of unsupported options from the right-click 

  context menu. Thanks to reboot.pro forum member farda for

  these suggestions.



* Added "Open with" workaround for WinPE 4.0/5.0. See -

  http://reboot.pro/topic/19732-help-with-open-with-in-winpe-4050/



* WinFE settings are now separate to the Shell script - but are 

  still mandatory. They have been moved to a new script 

  \Programs.winfe.script



* Option to use either SANPolicy 3 or 4 (in new WinFE script) -

  SANPolicy 3 is automatically used with WinPE 2.*/3.* sources as

  SANPolicy 4 is only supported in WinPE 4.0/5.0.



* File dependencies (to be extracted from install.wim or

  copied from the host Operating System) are handled in one

  (hidden) script -  Core\required.files.script. This will 

  make it simpler to implement any future file dependencies. 



* Added a script to copy files and folders from a local 

  directory - allowing the easy addition of third party files. 

  A menu entry will open the directory these files were copied 

  to. 



* Added Tools\Create USB script - it's now possible to 

  create a MistyPE bootable UFD during the build process.

  Use with caution - see documentation for more details. 

  Tested with Windows 7 (SP1) and Windows 8.1.



* Added ADK For Win 8 (and 8.1) scripts. Refer to documents.

  NOTE - this has only been tested using Windows 7 (SP1) 

  and Windows 8.1.



* Wallpaper support (.jpg) added for all builds - this 

  feature was not previously working with WinPE 4/5. See

  Programs\Wallpaper script.



* Wimlib-ImageX updated to version 1.6.2



* Added build 6.3.9600 (Windows 8.1 - Final) to the list  

  of tested/working sources.



* Added the following scripts -

	- WinHex

	- DMDE

	- Opera - 64-bit support added.

	- Keyboardlayouts



* Included FAU in the download. This is redistributed

  with the permission of the author (GMG Systems Inc) -

  refer to the project documentation.



* Program scripts now contain menu entries - this should

  make it easier to add new program scripts. Previously 

  all menu entries were contained in the shell script - 

  resulting in multiple script edits for any new programs 

  added.



* Various tweaks in core script 

	- "FileDelete,"%Cache%\temp\*.*" has been added to

	  to ensure that cached batch files and .ini files 

	  are deleted earlier in the build process. Without  

	  this fix there are errors in some very limited 

	  curcumstances.

	- Added verification check from registry files  

	  extracted from boot.wim - only used if the 

	  wimlib-imagex checks fail.



* Script structure has been changed for all Program scripts. 

  Hopefully results in better error checking for any missing 

  files.



* Browse for folder support is added by individual program 

  scripts even if this option is not selected in the Core 

  script. Resulting in a more modular approach (see 

  "http://reboot.pro/topic/19042-modular-apps-philosophy-for-winpe/"

  for the philosophy behind this approach).



* Documentation updated - added section on using the ADK 

  For Win 8.1. 

I get a few stories of how WinFE saved the day and a few of these heroes let me retell their story. This is one of them. The ‘detective’ wishes to be unnamed, but for sake of argument, I know who he is…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 A detective from a California law enforcement agency that had attended the SEARCH “Network Investigation and Digital Triage” course contacted the instructors with assistance in building a WinFE based on Windows 8.1. The detective was given guidance and links to the various resources needed to create the WinFE8.1SE. The detective was further given assistance in adding in the utilities he would need and finally validating the build to insure that it was forensically sound.

 In a follow up call, the detective indicated that the he had obtained the duplicate images he needed, with one minor modification. He found that one of the target drives was mounted through an add-in card and was not initially recognized by WinFE8.1SE. Noting that Colin Ramsden’s write protect utility allowed for adding drivers to the system, the detective located the add-in card drivers and added them to the system. WinFE8.1SE and Colin’s WP utility then recognized the additional drive and allowed mounting it read only. The detective then successfully obtained duplicate images of both target drives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a side note, consider that WinFE started with Troy Larson typing out a 2-page Microsoft Word document on changing registry values in a winPe to get a winFe. That little idea is now taught at local, state, and federal agencies as well as public/private education and training courses. Basically, it’s is use by many.   This success story is neat because it shows how easy it is to add a driver on-the-fly. You don’t need much technical experience to use Colin’s app to add drivers or toggle hard drives. We beat it up pretty good to get it right; Colin is one of those extremely competent software writers and I am glad he helped out the WinFE project.

Got a success story? Send it to me and I’ll share the word.

Taking WinFE to even another level on a multiboot thumbdrive.  Very cool, but I spread this word to you because there are few things in life neater than a forensically bootable CD/USB with X-Ways Forensics.

From Hacking Exposed: Adding the WinFE Image to the Multiboot Thumbdrive Image (Video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce9eQ0OG2jA

http://hackingexposedcomputerforensicsblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/daily-blog-248-adding-winfe-image-to.html