IT Forensics · Linux

Forensic evaluation of NTP synchronisation – verifying time accuracy as the basis for forensic timelines

The Network Time Protocol, or NTP for short, is used to synchronise the system clock with external time sources and is an essential prerequisite for ensuring that timestamps from different systems can be meaningfully compared with one another.

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To establish a forensically sound timeline, it is crucial to know whether, and to what degree of precision, a system was actually synchronised at a specific point in time, as any discrepancy in the system time will correspondingly distort all timestamps based on it.

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Since its foundation, LanCologne has specialised in professional IT forensics. Our staff have decades of experience in the field of information technology and assist companies, solicitors, private individuals and, on a regular basis, the courts in the technical investigation of complex digital matters.

The examination is, as a matter of principle, carried out exclusively on a forensic copy, a forensic image or a data source captured in a technically equivalent manner that preserves the integrity of the evidence. The original evidence remains unchanged and is stored in a manner that preserves its integrity.

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We examine a system’s NTP configuration and available synchronisation protocols, and use this to assess the reliability of the system time over the relevant period under investigation.

Typical areas of application

•Assessment of the reliability of system-generated timestamps
•Identification of a possible time deviation during the period under review
•Synchronisation of timelines across multiple systems in a network
•Detection of tampered system time as an anti-forensics measure
•Incident Response on Linux Systems
•Judicial and non-judicial expert reports

This is how an NTP assessment is carried out

Once the data has been backed up, the NTP configuration and any existing synchronisation logs are analysed to determine whether, and to what extent, time synchronisation took place during the relevant period. Any time discrepancies that are identified are documented and taken into account when drawing up the timeline.

Why is the NTP rating relevant in a forensic context?

A system time that is not synchronised, or is synchronised incorrectly, can distort all timestamps based on it; this is why checking time synchronisation is a fundamental, yet often underestimated, step in any forensic timeline analysis.

When synchronising events across multiple systems, a reliable, common time base is essential for correctly ordering events into a consistent chronology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is an incorrect system time identified through forensic analysis?+
By synchronising the system time with independent, trusted time sources and by checking the NTP synchronisation logs.
Can a tampered system time be used as an anti-forensic measure?+
Yes, deliberately altering the system time can be used to falsify timestamps, which is why this possibility is always checked for.
How are multiple systems with different levels of time accuracy handled?+
The accuracy of each system’s timestamps is assessed individually and taken into account in a transparent manner when the timelines are merged.

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