Get A Deep Delve Into Sharepoint Forensics

Published By Raj Kumar

Approved By Aswin Vijayan

Published On April 19th, 2022

Reading Time 4 Minutes Reading

Category Updates

SharePoint forensics has become an important area for forensic investigators. Who work on investigation procedures involving the scenarios where the company has alleged one of its employee for intellectual theft acquisition. SharePoint works as a great assembler of data. And so a sweeping amount of predominant data stored in SharePoint database can be a well-defined challenge for forensic experts.

Challenges Foreseen By Experts in Sharepoint Forensics

Any organization following the implementation of SharePoint farm depends on it for every possible task and this ranges from collaboration. And sharing of documents to automation of business process workflow running with an organization. In such a case, investigators need to work on the calendars, contact information, tasks, and lists that may contain probative evidence. However, one cannot escape the challenges that come in the path of forensic experts while examining data.

• Recovering Corrupted Database Of Sharepoint: The challenge over here is how to make the database available for examiners. That will help in scooping out sensitive data. Extracting data from the MDF file database of the SharePoint server can provide important evidence. That can change the course of investigation probes.
• SharePoint Forensics Database Analysis on Another Platform: The SharePoint database is saved in the MDF file format in the SQL Server. Once the data is recovered and exported back to the same SQL server in the environment. Chances are there that the data can be again manipulated by the people of an organization. Therefore, there should be a provision. Where you can export the MDF file to some other SQL server and analyze data without any sort of discrepancies.

In order to combat the challenges faced by forensic investigators. There needs to be a specific tool that can provide a comprehensive platform for recovering the database of SharePoint and analysing them in an independent manner.

A Potent Sharepoint Forensics Solution – Sharepoint recovery Tool

A Platform that is well suited for the forensic examination of the Sharepoint Database is the SharePoint File Recovery tool. It equips forensic examiners with the ability to recover corrupted .mdf database of Sharepoint completely without involving any type of data loss.  This forensic solution also has its utilization in combatting some errors commonly faced by the SharePoint developers and administrators such as

Upload the corrupted database of the SharePoint farm used in your organization. And the application will work on its advanced mechanism to execute a complete recovery of the database.

Highlighted Features of Sharepoint File Recovery Software

1. Complete Retrieval of Database Items: Examiners will get an opportunity to overlook all the lists and documents that may contain inculpatory evidence. This tool recovers all the triggers, tables, views, rules, lists and other items associated with the SharePoint database.
2. Scan Report For MDF File Repair: View the complete summary of the scan process along with the details of the MDF file like the pages that were read, the name of a database, stored procedures, triggers, etc.
3. Export Recovered Database in 2 Ways: Once the database is recovered, data can be exported in two different methods
   • Save directly on SQL Server: Export the database directly to the SQL Server.
   • Save as MDF file: This will help investigators to export the recovered MDF file to some other SQL server. And examine data without any fear of evidence manipulation.
4. Selective Export of Items: After recovering the database. Investigators have the option to export only the items they require and not the whole database.
5. Preview of Database: During Sharepoint Forensics, once the database is recovered, you will get a complete preview of the database along with all its attributes that including Site ID, Full URL, Parent Web ID, directory name, Leaf Name, etc.

Conclusion

It must be remembered that the recovery process of the SharePoint database should be carried out carefully. Otherwise, investigators may lose access to some of the important evidence that is present in the lists, and documents of the Sharepoint storage.