Master File Table
The central NTFS metadata structure whose records describe files, directories, attributes, timestamps, and storage mappings.
Digital-Forensics Context
The NTFS Master File Table contains records describing files and directories, including attributes, timestamps, names, and mappings to non-resident data runs. Deleted records, resident data, sequence numbers, and reused entries can all contribute to forensic reconstruction.
Evidence Boundary
An MFT record is not necessarily the complete file content. Non-resident data is stored in filesystem clusters referenced by attributes, and record reuse can complicate historical interpretation.