CAINE

Free#16 of 30 in Digital Forensics Software

CAINE: A no-cost forensic boot environment covering acquisition, analysis, memory and mobile evidence. Ranked #16 of 30 in Digital Forensics Software by our editors (7.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free live forensic boot environments.

7.7/10Editor score

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At a glance

Editor score
7.7 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Free live forensic boot environments
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Mobile forensics
Yes
Facts checked
20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Read-only handling helps reduce accidental evidence modification.
- Covers disk imaging, memory, mobile and Windows incident response.
- Saves evidence with metadata and investigator comments.
Where it doesn't
- The main distribution is Linux-based, not a native Windows environment.
- Bundled-tool availability may vary by release.
- Requires a live USB/DVD workflow or an installed distribution.

Our verdict on CAINE

CAINE is an open-source GNU/Linux distribution for digital forensic investigations. It is designed for digital investigators, incident responders and forensic laboratories that need a live environment for evidence collection, examination and reporting. The distribution can run from a live USB/DVD or be installed as a 64-bit Ubuntu-based system. It supports raw/dd disk images, EnCase files, databases, internet histories, Windows registries, deleted files, EXIF data, volatile memory dumps, Android devices and iPod devices.

Evidence handling is a central strength. CAINE provides default read-only blocking for block devices, read-only mounting through rbfstab and Mounter, and forensic disk imaging with AIR and Guymager. Investigators can preview files, databases, browser histories, registries and deleted files through included scripts, then save evidence with metadata and investigator comments. Export options include raw/dd, EnCase and text reports. Mobile tools include ADB, libimobiledevice and SCRCPY, while Windows incident-response and live-forensics tools extend the workflow beyond the Linux environment.

CAINE suits teams that want a no-cost, open-source toolkit spanning acquisition, artifact review, memory forensics, mobile work and reporting in one bootable environment. Its breadth makes it a practical fit for varied investigations rather than a narrow single-purpose imaging utility. The main trade-off is platform orientation: the core product is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, with Windows represented through forensic side tools. The official site identifies CAINE 14.0 Lightstream, released 24 March 2025, as the latest installable release, while individual bundled-tool availability may vary by release. Choose CAINE when a live forensic workspace and broad evidence-source coverage matter; choose an alternative when a native Windows-first environment or fixed tool set is required.

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CAINE pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on caine-live.net

CAINE fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Evidence sources	raw/dd disk images; EnCase files; databases; internet histories; Windows registries; deleted files; EXIF data; volatile memory dumps; Android and iPod devices
Mobile forensics	Yes
Disk imaging	Yes
Memory forensics	Yes
Case collaboration	Not verified
Supported platforms	Linux; Windows forensic side tools
Export formats	raw/dd; EnCase; text reports
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms	Linux, Windows
Support	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan
Website	caine-live.net
Facts checked	20 Sep 2026

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update