Digital Forensics Research Paper

Digital forensics is a branch that is over the recovery and investigation of materials found in digital devices, it gives a better understanding of the situation. Back before the computers, researchers used to investigate the situation through eyewitnesses, evidences, and trying to recreate what happened in that area. Digital devices are everywhere this day and age. “Computers and networks have become so ubiquitous in our society, such an integral part of our daily lives, that any investigation or legal dispute will likely involve some form of digital evidence.” Casey, 2009 Introduction. Through electronics, it can store the needed evidence to be used in the future.

Data is crucial to the success of any company and they are now increasing their efforts in soliciting and retrieving customer data to learn more about their client's preferences, likes, and dislikes. This, among other factors has attributed to a growing field of data science where data scientists learn to collect crucial data. While there are many types of data, this paper will primarily focus on digital data and how digital scientists can retrieve these data to support provide information for the crown or for the defense. This area has received more attention because criminals such as terrorists have realized the effectiveness of using digital devices to aid in their criminal endeavors (Reith, Carr & Gunsch, 2002, p.2). To combat this, law enforcement agencies are now relying on digital scientists to preserve, collect, analysis and interpret "digital evidence derived from digital sources" (Vincze, 2016, p.184) to help prevent cybercrime and prosecute (or exonerate) suspects. The purpose of this paper is then to illustrate why digital forensic is crucial to addressing the new dangers presented in our society by analyzing the strengths and demonstrating why the weaknesses of the field

Supportive investigation procedures and protocols should be in place in order to show that the incriminating evidence was on the electronic media. Crime has changed since the dawning of the computer age and the need for digital forensics is growing rapidly. Digital forensics has various areas based on different standards and media types, each with experts. There have been major breakthroughs in digital forensics

This certification validates both cloud computing and virtualization skills (Tittel & Kyle, 2016). Our mobile device specialist has a bachelor’s degree in information technology, five years of professional experience, and holds a CompTIA Mobility+ certification. This specialist knows how to carefully extract data from mobile devices. Our computer forensic examiner has a bachelor’s degree in digital forensics, seven years professional experience, and has an AccessData (ACE) certification. The ACE demonstrates this examiner’s proficiency with Forensic Toolkit technology. All of our analysts are trained to secure, document, and transport evidence as well as properly store the digital evidence in order to maintain its integrity and prepare scientific reports on their

The amount of users on the Internet today and the possibility of each user utilizing multiple devices which are connected to the Internet can pose an enormous amount of work for a digital forensic investigator. A digital forensic investigator will almost always find the need to examine artifacts that are associated with the suspect or victim related to their activity on the Internet. A careful evaluation of the type of Internet activity related to the case in which the suspect is involved is an effective practice for the digital forensic investigator (Rogers, Goldman, Mislan, Wedge, & Debrota, 2006).

Since the introduction of computer and technology, they have become the new weapon in committing crime, and to the burgeoning science of digital evidence, law enforcement now use computers to fight crime. Nevertheless, digital evidence is information stored, transmitted, and received in binary form that can potentially be relied on as evidence in court. Notwithstanding, digital evidence is commonly associated with crimes that involve such devices, such as a computer hard drives, external storage devices, mobile phones, among others, and are often referred to as e-crimes. However, to fight e-crime, law enforcement must collect relevant digital evidence for such crimes, law enforcement agencies are incorporating the collection and analysis of digital evidence, also referred to as computer forensics, into many of their infrastructures.

Dedicated system forensics specialists have trained intensively in investigating digital incidents to determine magnitude of the situation. Since digital crimes are committed on devices over multiple computing platforms, it is essential for forensic specialist to have a broad knowledge on which tools and techniques yield best results. The information collected from devices may serve as useful evidence in a legal matter; you never want the gathering of data to be an issue during the trial proceedings. Dedicated system forensic specialists understand the advantage in preparing a chain of custody report; it documents who oversaw data recovery or imaging, when & where collection took place and how & who stored data, which all add evidentiary value to findings. Individuals not skilled in the digital investigative process may inadvertently contaminate, overlook or destroy evidences, or simply forget to document the collection process. The smallest omission & fallacy in evidence collection or documentation can cause finds to

The science of digital forensics involves an amalgamation of computer science theories, knowledge of legal processes, “civil and criminal law as applicable to the use of computers, and activities performed and transactions conducted over internet and other networks” (WebFinance, 2017). With these varied disciplines, it is important especially when a difference in understanding of words and their definitions can mean significant changes impacting a person’s life, well-being, and even his or her family’s well-being. Not surprisingly, “Those involved in computer forensics often do not understand one other. Groups have evolved separately with only little interaction” (Peisert, Bishop, & Marzullo).

Technologies are advancing in today's world where more information is being generated, stored and distributed through digital gadgets. This requires investigators and forensic expert to increase the use of digital evidence gathering as a tool to fight against cyber-crime (International competition network, n.d.).

The current literature reveals a number of proposed frameworks, models and procedures that have been put in place in an attempt to formally describe an effective digital forensic investigation process. In digital forensic investigations, various processes focus on different actions performed, such as the data extraction, data examination, and data gathering and so on. Others tend to be more concerned with the analysis of the data extracted from the digital media.

In a world where technology is increasingly becoming the way of life, it was only a matter of time before crime was no longer just in the streets but happening online as well. Criminals now get a new approach to carry out their crimes with the use of computers. Since technology is more like a murder mystery than catching the bad guy in the act, a new discipline of forensics needed to be put into place. This is known as computer forensics. Forensic science is any science used for the purpose of law. In the case of computer forensics it is “the discipline that combines elements of law and computer science to collect and analyze data from computer systems, networks, wireless communications, and storage devices in a way that is admissible as evidence in a court of law” (U.S. Cert, 2008). Meaning if you do something illegal on the Internet it can be found.

Therefore, the Golden Age created an important history of digital forensics – yet this vaunted past has been difficult for the present to keep up with, and Garfinkel is not certain that the future of digital forensics will match its past: “Without a clear strategy for enabling research efforts that build upon one another, forensic research will fall behind the market, tools will become increasingly obsolete, and law enforcement, military and other users of computer forensics products will be unable to rely on the results of forensic analysis” (Garfinkel, 2010, p. S64). Thus, it is clear that digital forensics is undergoing or must undergo a dramatic shift. Is this the case? The following literature review, which is subdivided into two main sections (i.e., statistical tools and processes and the future of digital forensics), seeks to evaluate the literature on this topic with an eye towards Garfinkel’s claims.

Four sources of data that stand out for forensic investigators in most criminal investigations are files, operating systems, routers and network traffic, and social network activity. Each data source presents a variety of opportunities and challenges for investigators, meaning that the more reliable data collection and analysis activity typically involves examination of a variety of sources. Digital forensics must cover the four basic phases of activity, which include: data collection, which describes the identification and acquisition of relevant data; data examination, which includes the processing of data through the use

A computer forensics expert can recover information and computer evidence even if it has been hidden, encrypted, or deleted. In computer forensics, time is of the essence and an investigation must be performed in a timely manner to prevent information from disappearing forever. An important aspect of a computer forensic investigation is that the computer forensics expert must be capable of performing the analysis in a manner that will preserve, identify, extract, document and interpret computer data. The computer forensics analysis must be performed in a manner that conforms with legal requirements so that the results of the forensics investigation will be admissible in court. Simply powering up a computer can result in many files being changed. This may affect the admissibility and reliability of digital evidence. The analysis of electronic evidence includes not only the analysis of documents currently in a computer and those that were previously deleted, but also past versions and alterations of electronically stored documents.

Computer crimes present exorbitant issues in today's society. With computer security crimes on the rise, it is becoming e crucial for law enforcement officers and digital forensic examiners to understand computer forensic efficiently and effectively. It has become critical for law enforcement and digital forensic analysts to comprehend computer frameworks productively and adequately as cybercrimes continue to rise as society relies upon the usage of technology. Assessments of information system incidents can be reviewed and evaluated through forensic methodologies. The essential the methodologies presented in digital forensic process model will ensure my forensic team identify potential digital evidence on any type of electrical gadget.