Which type of forensic tool is primarily used for analyzing network traffic?

Packet analyzers are specialized forensic tools designed to monitor and analyze network traffic in detail. They capture data packets transmitted over a network, allowing investigators to inspect the contents and characteristics of these packets. This ability is crucial for identifying potential security breaches, determining the source of network issues, or gathering evidence in cybercrime investigations.

Packet analyzers can decode a wide range of protocols, enabling the examination of both inbound and outbound traffic for patterns, anomalies, and specific communications. This capability makes them invaluable in forensic investigations, particularly in cases involving unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or network-based attacks.

In contrast, data carving utilities focus on recovering deleted or fragmented files from storage media, digital imaging software is used primarily for creating forensic images of devices, and file recovery applications are designed to retrieve lost or damaged files from various types of storage. Each of these tools serves different functions in the field of digital forensics, making packet analyzers the appropriate choice for network traffic analysis.