An enhanced FAT table that exists in first chunks of the disc.

  • Describes all files/folders on the volume
    • Timestamps
    • Stream names
    • List of cluster numbers where data streams reside
    • Security identifiers
    • File attributes
  • MFT stored at root of NTFS partition
  • A backup of the MFT exists in the middle of the disk.

Forensic Analysis

  • Can uncover information about file creation, modification, deletion
  • Stored in root of NTFS partition (C:\) that can be acquired with KAPE

MFT Fields

  • In use: if unchecked, its a deleted object
  • Has Ads: Indicates if object contains ADS

Exploring $MFT