COFEE, a free Microsoft digital forensics tool, is now available to investigators in the United States after the Redmond company struck a distribution deal with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). The agreement makes NW3C the first US distributor of Microsoft Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor (COFEE), and the second since the tool’s introduction earlier this year. In mid-April 2009, the software giant started offering the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) the tool for distribution in no less than 187 markets worldwide.

Explaining that it had identified the necessity for tools to keep up with the continuous evolution of cybercrime tactics and techniques, Microsoft put together COFEE in order to better equip law enforcement agencies with the right technologies to capture live computer evidence from machines at the scene of a crime. The key aspect of COFEE is that the tool requires only minor training and can be utilized successfully by law enforcement officers with limited computer expertise.

“The COFEE distribution agreement will be of enormous benefit to U.S. law enforcement agencies dealing with technologically sophisticated cybercriminals,” noted Donald J. Brackman, director of NW3C. “NW3C is very pleased to partner with Microsoft in making this tool available and contributing to the fight against cybercrime.”

According to the Redmond company, COFEE is capable of grabbing any volatile data from a crime scene computer, including active system processes and network data that would otherwise be lost on shutdown and restart. The software giant indicated that it would fall onto INTERPOL, the Florida State University and University College Dublin, and NW3C to put in the necessary research and development efforts to ensure that COFEE continues to evolve.

“Criminals are working in a new digital age, and it is essential that law enforcement agencies have the latest tools and technology to help them fight the cyberthreats facing the global community,” added Tim Cranton, associate general counsel of Worldwide Internet Safety Enforcement Programs at Microsoft. “Microsoft is proud to be working with NW3C and INTERPOL to make COFEE more broadly available to law enforcement agencies and to host the Digital Crimes Consortium bringing industry, government, academic and law enforcement cybercrime experts from around the world together to build a long-term coordinated effort in the fight against digital crime. By working together, we can be most effective in making the Internet safer for everyone.”