What specific files did Gael extract to find information about the incident related to fake email broadcasting?

The choice of .ost files is particularly relevant in the context of investigating an incident involving fake email broadcasting. Offline Storage Table (.ost) files are used by Microsoft Outlook when connected to an Exchange server, allowing users to work with their email data even when they are offline. These files contain a local copy of mailbox information, including emails, and can be crucial in forensic analysis.

In the scenario of investigating fake email broadcasts, .ost files would provide insights into the emails sent, received, and even drafts that may not have been fully processed through the mail server. This allows forensic investigators to trace back the actions performed by a user, understand user activity, and analyze patterns that may indicate malicious behavior.

Log files are also important in digital forensics, as they may contain records of system events and user actions, but they typically do not contain the actual content of emails. Text files could hold relevant data, but these are less likely to provide a direct connection to email interactions. .pst files are used for archiving emails, contacts, and other data in a format conducive to backups or transfers, but in the context of investigating current email activities, the .ost files are more appropriate as they represent real-time, operational data within the Outlook environment.