source: trunk/doc/reglookup-timeline.1.docbook @ 248

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<refentry id='reglookup-timeline.1'>
  <!--  $Id: reglookup-timeline.1.docbook 119 2008-08-09 05:55:45Z tim $ -->
  <refmeta>
    <refentrytitle>reglookup-timeline</refentrytitle>
    <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
    <refmiscinfo class="sectdesc">File Conversion Utilities</refmiscinfo>
  </refmeta>
  <refnamediv id='name'>
    <refname>reglookup-timeline</refname>
    <refpurpose>Windows NT+ registry MTIME timeline generator</refpurpose>
  </refnamediv>

  <refsect1 id='synopsis'>
    <title>SYNOPSIS</title>
    <para>
      <command>
        reglookup-timeline [<replaceable>-H</replaceable>] 
                            <replaceable>registry-file</replaceable>
                           [<replaceable>registry-file</replaceable> ...]
      </command>
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='description'>
    <title>DESCRIPTION</title>
    <para>
      This script is a wrapper for <command>reglookup(1)</command>, and reads
      one or more registry
      files to produce an MTIME-sorted output.  This is helpful when building
      timelines for forensic investigations.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='parameters'>
    <title>PARAMETERS</title>
    <para>
      <command>reglookup-timeline</command> accepts one or more registry file
      names.  All of the provided registries will be parsed using 
      <command>reglookup(1)</command>.  The <command>-H</command> option may be
      used to omit the header line.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='output'>
    <title>OUTPUT</title>
    <para>
      <command>reglookup-timeline</command> generates a comma-separated 
      values (CSV) compatible format to stdout.  While the output of 
      <command>reglookup-timeline</command> and <command>reglookup(1)</command>
      differ in the columns returned, the base format is the same.  
    </para>
    <para>
      Currently, <command>reglookup-timeline</command> returns three columns:
      MTIME, FILE, and PATH.  Only rows representing registry keys are returned,
      since MTIMEs are not stored for values.  The FILE column indicates which
      registry file (provided as an argument) the key came from.  Finally, the
      PATH field contains the full registry path to the key.  Records are 
      returned sorted in ascending order based on the MTIME column.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='bugs'>
    <title>BUGS</title>
    <para>
      This script is new, and as such it's interface may change significantly 
      over the next few revisions.  In particular, additional command line 
      options will likely be added, and the output of the script may be altered
      in minor ways.
    </para>
    <para>
      It is very difficult to find documentation on what precise operations 
      cause the MTIMEs to be updated.  Basic experimentation indicates that 
      a key's stamp is updated anytime an immediate sub-value or sub-key is 
      created, renamed, deleted, or it's value is modified.  If this MTIME 
      data is critical to an investigation, any conclusions should be 
      validated through experimentation in a controlled lab environment.
    </para>
    <para>
      This software should be considered unstable at this time.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='credits'>
    <title>CREDITS</title>
    <para>
      This script was written by Timothy D. Morgan based on suggestions
      from Uwe Danz.
    </para>
    <para>
      Please see source code for a full list of copyrights.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='license'>
    <title>LICENSE</title>
    <para>
      Please see the file "LICENSE" included with this software
      distribution.
    </para>
    <para>
      This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
      but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
      MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
      GNU General Public License version 3 for more details.
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='seealso'>
    <title>SEE ALSO</title>
    <para>
      reglookup(1) reglookup-recover(1)
    </para>
  </refsect1>
</refentry>