diff --git a/internal/file/zip_file_manifest_test.go b/internal/file/zip_file_manifest_test.go
index 203605e51..f89e88ca9 100644
--- a/internal/file/zip_file_manifest_test.go
+++ b/internal/file/zip_file_manifest_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package file
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal/file/zip_file_traversal_test.go b/internal/file/zip_file_traversal_test.go
index bf32528ac..6c7a9ea46 100644
--- a/internal/file/zip_file_traversal_test.go
+++ b/internal/file/zip_file_traversal_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package file
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal/file/zip_read_closer_test.go b/internal/file/zip_read_closer_test.go
index 1ea251665..349bfcc9b 100644
--- a/internal/file/zip_read_closer_test.go
+++ b/internal/file/zip_read_closer_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package file
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal/formats/common/testutils/utils.go b/internal/formats/common/testutils/utils.go
index a5990d4a2..0a086c1e5 100644
--- a/internal/formats/common/testutils/utils.go
+++ b/internal/formats/common/testutils/utils.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package testutils
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/anchore/go-presenter"
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ func AssertPresenterAgainstGoldenImageSnapshot(t *testing.T, pres presenter.Pres
 	var expected = testutils.GetGoldenFileContents(t)
 
 	// remove dynamic values, which should be tested independently
+	redactors = append(redactors, carriageRedactor)
 	for _, r := range redactors {
 		actual = r(actual)
 		expected = r(expected)
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ func AssertPresenterAgainstGoldenSnapshot(t *testing.T, pres presenter.Presenter
 	var expected = testutils.GetGoldenFileContents(t)
 
 	// remove dynamic values, which should be tested independently
+	redactors = append(redactors, carriageRedactor)
 	for _, r := range redactors {
 		actual = r(actual)
 		expected = r(expected)
@@ -138,6 +141,11 @@ func ImageInput(t testing.TB, testImage string, options ...ImageOption) sbom.SBO
 	}
 }
 
+func carriageRedactor(s []byte) []byte {
+	msg := strings.ReplaceAll(string(s), "\r\n", "\n")
+	return []byte(msg)
+}
+
 func populateImageCatalog(catalog *pkg.Catalog, img *image.Image) {
 	_, ref1, _ := img.SquashedTree().File("/somefile-1.txt", filetree.FollowBasenameLinks)
 	_, ref2, _ := img.SquashedTree().File("/somefile-2.txt", filetree.FollowBasenameLinks)
diff --git a/syft/source/directory_resolver.go b/syft/source/directory_resolver.go
index 0d329a07e..6a3fe31e6 100644
--- a/syft/source/directory_resolver.go
+++ b/syft/source/directory_resolver.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal"
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/wagoodman/go-progress"
 )
 
+const WindowsOS = "windows"
+
 var unixSystemRuntimePrefixes = []string{
 	"/proc",
 	"/dev",
@@ -143,6 +146,11 @@ func (r *directoryResolver) indexPath(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error)
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
+	// here we check to see if we need to normalize paths to posix on the way in coming from windows
+	if runtime.GOOS == WindowsOS {
+		path = windowsToPosix(path)
+	}
+
 	newRoot, err := r.addPathToIndex(path, info)
 	if r.isFileAccessErr(path, err) {
 		return "", nil
@@ -258,6 +266,11 @@ func (r directoryResolver) requestPath(userPath string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func (r directoryResolver) responsePath(path string) string {
+	// check to see if we need to encode back to Windows from posix
+	if runtime.GOOS == WindowsOS {
+		path = posixToWindows(path)
+	}
+
 	// always return references relative to the request path (not absolute path)
 	if filepath.IsAbs(path) {
 		// we need to account for the cwd relative to the running process and the given root for the directory resolver
@@ -314,6 +327,10 @@ func (r directoryResolver) FilesByPath(userPaths ...string) ([]Location, error)
 			continue
 		}
 
+		if runtime.GOOS == WindowsOS {
+			userStrPath = windowsToPosix(userStrPath)
+		}
+
 		exists, ref, err := r.fileTree.File(file.Path(userStrPath))
 		if err == nil && exists {
 			references = append(references, NewLocationFromDirectory(r.responsePath(userStrPath), *ref))
@@ -367,7 +384,13 @@ func (r directoryResolver) FileContentsByLocation(location Location) (io.ReadClo
 		// by preference or these files are not readable by the current user).
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("file content is inaccessible path=%q", location.ref.RealPath)
 	}
-	return file.NewLazyReadCloser(string(location.ref.RealPath)), nil
+	// RealPath is posix so for windows directory resolver we need to translate
+	// to its true on disk path.
+	filePath := string(location.ref.RealPath)
+	if runtime.GOOS == WindowsOS {
+		filePath = posixToWindows(filePath)
+	}
+	return file.NewLazyReadCloser(filePath), nil
 }
 
 func (r directoryResolver) isInIndex(location Location) bool {
@@ -409,6 +432,33 @@ func (r *directoryResolver) FilesByMIMEType(types ...string) ([]Location, error)
 	return locations, nil
 }
 
+func windowsToPosix(windowsPath string) (posixPath string) {
+	// volume should be encoded at the start (e.g /c/<path>) where c is the volume
+	volumeName := filepath.VolumeName(windowsPath)
+	pathWithoutVolume := strings.TrimPrefix(windowsPath, volumeName)
+	volumeLetter := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSuffix(volumeName, ":"))
+
+	// translate non-escaped backslash to forwardslash
+	translatedPath := strings.ReplaceAll(pathWithoutVolume, "\\", "/")
+
+	// always have `/` as the root... join all components, e.g.:
+	// convert: C:\\some\windows\Place
+	// into: /c/some/windows/Place
+	return path.Clean("/" + strings.Join([]string{volumeLetter, translatedPath}, "/"))
+}
+
+func posixToWindows(posixPath string) (windowsPath string) {
+	// decode the volume (e.g. /c/<path> --> C:\\) - There should always be a volume name.
+	pathFields := strings.Split(posixPath, "/")
+	volumeName := strings.ToUpper(pathFields[1]) + `:\\`
+
+	// translate non-escaped forward slashes into backslashes
+	remainingTranslatedPath := strings.Join(pathFields[2:], "\\")
+
+	// combine volume name and backslash components
+	return filepath.Clean(volumeName + remainingTranslatedPath)
+}
+
 func isUnixSystemRuntimePath(path string, _ os.FileInfo) bool {
 	return internal.HasAnyOfPrefixes(path, unixSystemRuntimePrefixes...)
 }
@@ -421,8 +471,8 @@ func isUnallowableFileType(_ string, info os.FileInfo) bool {
 	switch newFileTypeFromMode(info.Mode()) {
 	case CharacterDevice, Socket, BlockDevice, FIFONode, IrregularFile:
 		return true
-		// note: symlinks that point to these files may still get by. We handle this later in processing to help prevent
-		// against infinite links traversal.
+		// note: symlinks that point to these files may still get by.
+		// We handle this later in processing to help prevent against infinite links traversal.
 	}
 
 	return false
diff --git a/syft/source/directory_resolver_test.go b/syft/source/directory_resolver_test.go
index d820574b2..a95634aaf 100644
--- a/syft/source/directory_resolver_test.go
+++ b/syft/source/directory_resolver_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package source
 
 import (
@@ -175,12 +178,12 @@ func TestDirectoryResolver_FilesByPath(t *testing.T) {
 			hasPath := resolver.HasPath(c.input)
 			if !c.forcePositiveHasPath {
 				if c.refCount != 0 && !hasPath {
-					t.Errorf("expected HasPath() to indicate existance, but did not")
+					t.Errorf("expected HasPath() to indicate existence, but did not")
 				} else if c.refCount == 0 && hasPath {
-					t.Errorf("expeced HasPath() to NOT indicate existance, but does")
+					t.Errorf("expected HasPath() to NOT indicate existence, but does")
 				}
 			} else if !hasPath {
-				t.Errorf("expected HasPath() to indicate existance, but did not (force path)")
+				t.Errorf("expected HasPath() to indicate existence, but did not (force path)")
 			}
 
 			refs, err := resolver.FilesByPath(c.input)
@@ -553,7 +556,6 @@ func Test_indexAllRoots(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func Test_directoryResolver_FilesByMIMEType(t *testing.T) {
-
 	tests := []struct {
 		fixturePath   string
 		mimeType      string
@@ -567,7 +569,6 @@ func Test_directoryResolver_FilesByMIMEType(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(test.fixturePath, func(t *testing.T) {
-
 			resolver, err := newDirectoryResolver(test.fixturePath)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			locations, err := resolver.FilesByMIMEType(test.mimeType)
@@ -648,7 +649,6 @@ func Test_IndexingNestedSymLinksOutsideOfRoot(t *testing.T) {
 	locations, err = resolver.FilesByPath("./link_to_link_to_readme")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Len(t, locations, 1)
-
 }
 
 func Test_directoryResolver_FileContentsByLocation(t *testing.T) {
@@ -683,10 +683,9 @@ func Test_directoryResolver_FileContentsByLocation(t *testing.T) {
 			if test.err {
 				require.Error(t, err)
 				return
-			} else {
-				require.NoError(t, err)
 			}
 
+			require.NoError(t, err)
 			if test.expects != "" {
 				b, err := ioutil.ReadAll(actual)
 				require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/syft/source/directory_resolver_windows_test.go b/syft/source/directory_resolver_windows_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..18cbb7856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syft/source/directory_resolver_windows_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+package source
+
+import "testing"
+
+func Test_windowsToPosix(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		windowsPath string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		args          args
+		wantPosixPath string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "basic case",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:\some\windows\place`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/some/windows/place",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "escaped case",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:\\some\\windows\\place`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/some/windows/place",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "forward slash",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:/foo/bar`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/foo/bar",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mix slash",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:\foo/bar\`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/foo/bar",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "case sensitive case",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:\Foo/bAr\`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/Foo/bAr",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "special char case",
+			args: args{
+				windowsPath: `C:\ふー\バー`,
+			},
+			wantPosixPath: "/c/ふー/バー",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if gotPosixPath := windowsToPosix(tt.args.windowsPath); gotPosixPath != tt.wantPosixPath {
+				t.Errorf("windowsToPosix() = %v, want %v", gotPosixPath, tt.wantPosixPath)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_posixToWindows(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		posixPath string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name            string
+		args            args
+		wantWindowsPath string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "basic case",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/some/windows/place",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:\some\windows\place`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "escaped case",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/some/windows/place",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:\\some\\windows\\place`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "forward slash",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/foo/bar",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:/foo/bar`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mix slash",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/foo/bar",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:\foo/bar\`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "case sensitive case",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/Foo/bAr",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:\Foo/bAr\`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "special char case",
+			args: args{
+				posixPath: "/c/ふー/バー",
+			},
+			wantWindowsPath: `C:\ふー\バー`,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if gotWindowsPath := posixToWindows(tt.args.posixPath); gotWindowsPath != tt.wantWindowsPath {
+				t.Errorf("posixToWindows() = %v, want %v", gotWindowsPath, tt.wantWindowsPath)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/syft/source/file_metadata_test.go b/syft/source/file_metadata_test.go
index db714d0f7..3bdedb42f 100644
--- a/syft/source/file_metadata_test.go
+++ b/syft/source/file_metadata_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package source
 
 import (
diff --git a/syft/source/source_test.go b/syft/source/source_test.go
index 98e77454f..f253fed13 100644
--- a/syft/source/source_test.go
+++ b/syft/source/source_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
 package source
 
 import (