For digital forensics investigators, maintaining the integrity of the host system is paramount. Installing software alters the system registry and file system, which can contaminate a digital crime scene. Running ExifTool from a portable USB stick ensures the tool leaves zero footprint on the computer being analyzed.
Before diving into the "portable" aspect, it is essential to understand the tool itself. Developed by Phil Harvey, ExifTool is a free and open-source software program for reading, writing, and manipulating image, audio, and video metadata. It is a command-line application that supports a vast array of file formats, including: exiftool portable
ExifTool is and rock stable . It can process thousands of files per minute. The portable version performs identically to the installed version—no speed penalty. Before diving into the "portable" aspect, it is