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Looking between FILE_NAME AND STANDARD_INFORMATION time discrepencies can show you what?

User Inkblot
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Final answer:

Looking between FILE_NAME and STANDARD_INFORMATION timestamps can reveal possible file tampering or unauthorized alterations, as discrepancies between these timestamps may suggest an attempt to manipulate metadata.

Step-by-step explanation:

Looking between FILE_NAME and STANDARD_INFORMATION time discrepancies can show you evidence of file tampering or unauthorized alterations. When a file is created or modified on a Windows operating system, certain timestamps are recorded. The FILE_NAME attribute contains timestamps representing the creation, modification, and last access times which are updated when a file is renamed or moved within the same volume. Meanwhile, the STANDARD_INFORMATION attribute stores timestamps that are updated for many file operations, including file content changes. If there is a discrepancy between these two sets of timestamps, it may indicate that a user or program has attempted to manipulate the file's metadata to hide their actions. A proper investigation would consider the normal behavior of operating system and application interactions with files to make an accurate assessment of whether this discrepancy suggests foul play.

User Mike Clymer
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