Browser Preferences

Browser preferences and configuration data are essential in digital forensics, offering insights into user behavior, privacy settings, synchronization preferences, and interaction with websites. These preferences are stored in specific files within the user's profile directory for each browser. Here's how to locate and analyze these files for Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge.

Mozilla Firefox

• Location: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<randomtext>.default\prefs.js

• Key Insights:

  • The prefs.js file contains user preferences and configurations, including privacy settings and extensions installed.

  • It notably includes synchronization status, indicating if and when the browser data (such as bookmarks, passwords, history) was last synced, along with the types of artifacts selected for synchronization.

Google Chrome

• Location: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\<Profile>\Preferences

• Format: JSON

• Key Insights:

  • The Preferences file in Chrome is a JSON document detailing user settings, extensions, privacy configurations, and more.

  • User Interaction: Fields like per_host_zoom_levels, media-engagement, and site_engagement provide forensic clues about how frequently the user interacts with specific websites, indicating interest or routine behavior.

  • Synchronization Data: Contains detailed information on synchronization status, including last sync time and what types of data (e.g., bookmarks, passwords) were synchronized across devices.

Microsoft Edge

• Location: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\<Profile>\Preferences

• Key Insights:

  • Similar to Chrome, Edge stores its preferences in a JSON format file, which includes information on user settings and configurations.

  • Account Information: Details about the user's Microsoft account used for synchronization.

  • Privacy and Security Settings: Including clear_data_on_exit preferences, indicating if the user opts to clear browsing data upon exiting the browser.

  • Synchronization Settings: Information on what data is being synced, such as favorites, passwords, and other browsing data, along with synchronization status.

Forensic Analysis of Browser Preferences

1. Understanding User Behavior: Analysis of these preferences files can reveal a user's browsing habits, privacy concerns, and interaction with specific websites.

2. Investigating Sync Data: Synchronization settings and data can be crucial in cross-device investigations, helping to trace a user's activities across different platforms and devices.

3. Privacy and Security Preferences: A user's configuration for data deletion on exit and use of privacy features can indicate awareness or intent to conceal activities.

4. Tools and Techniques: Forensic investigators need to be familiar with JSON structure and the specific schema used by each browser to parse and analyze these files effectively.