SOPIA Suite Help Files
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What language is SopiaSuite written in?SopiaSuite is written in Python. Python was chosen because it is a powerful language that works across multiple-platforms.
2. Do all the tools work on Windows?
Yes and no. All tools apart from SIPHON work on Windows. FiBs has an extra feature which allows for live process capturing on Linux/OS X machines. SIPHON only works with Ubuntu because it utilizes Joachim Metz's Libesedb library, which is Linux-based.
3. Do I need to know command line to use SopiaSuite?
That was a big issue in the design stages. Initially, SopiaSuite was going to be command line only. However, in order to make the process as easy and streamlined as possible, the decision was made to add a GUI to SopiaSuite. All tools use a GUI - but look at what the terminal is saying! Don't ignore it :-)
4. Why is SopiaSuite open-source?
SopiaSuite wasn't developed for profit; it was developed from a concept that digital forensics software could be freely available to assist in an investigation. The GNU Lesser GPL allows for the software to be studied, shared and modified. This means that if someone wants to improve the code, add new features or remove features, they are able to and it's legal and actually encouraged. Free open-source software motivates people.
5. Doesn't automated software make people less competent?
That is a possibility. With SopiaSuite, the software compromises by using a mixture of GUI/command line and it's strongly encouraged that before using SopiaSuite, you look at the code and get a feel for what it's doing - and why it's useful. Providing an examiner knows how to do the task manually, then using a script to speed up/automate the process is logical.
6. Why is Siphon compatible with Python 3?
Initially, the entire project was going to be scripted to work with Python 2.7 or older. However, as Siphon was the final tool to be designed and created, the idea of 'upgrading' the code to work with Python 3 became more and more tempting. Due to time restrictions, rather than re-code all of the existing code, Siphon was created to work with Python 3, as it is up to date and still compatible with older versions of Python.
7. Are there any plans to upgrade the code to work with Python 3?
This is something I will have to look at. There is no reason why this couldn't be done, and as Siphon has proved to work well on Python 3 and older without issues, it's something that looks likely to be done in the future.
8. How Do I Install Tkinter on Ubuntu?
If you see the following error, you may need to install Tkinter on your Ubuntu OS.
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Tkinter is a dependancy of the Sopia Suite. Tkinter is the GUI that drives the suite and must be installed. You can simply install tkinter by running the following command in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install python-tk
Your screen should look like this:
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You may be asked for your password. Please note: you should have a working internet connection for this to work. Once installed, try running the software again.
9. SIPHON Isn't Working
Joachim Metz's libesedb is a dependancy of SIPHON and must be built. Firstly, use the terminal to CD to the libesedb folder, then use the following screenshots to show you what commands you should run, in order to build the libesedb package on Ubuntu.
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10. How Do I Install PyExiv?
PyExiv is a dependancy of SPIES and must be installed. Simply click here and download the relevant executable and install it. Spies.py should now run.
Thank you for using SopiaSuite!
Remember, SopiaSuite is FREE and open-source! Released under the "GNU Lesser GPL",
you are free to study, share and modify the software to YOUR needs.
© 2014 Simon McCabe, SopiaSuite Help Files.