Computers have evolved on how we communicate thru technology. People use technology in creative ways that can complicate the forensic analysis process, importantly when attempts are made to conceal digital evidence. The economy consists of millions of users spend hours surfing the web, stay up to date with current events, and take part in many activities. However, this also benefits how criminals act freely. Illegal activities ranging from drug trafficking, pornography, and terrorism involve electronics and computers to a degree. For example, a cyber attack on a company can expose million’s of private accounts or be used against air traffic control creating confusion to flight schedules. Countries are regularly updating their legal guidelines to explain how digital evidence affects the digital constitution act. As a result, criminals developed their own tools to conceal their crimes creating real-world challenges for forensics investigators. Today, investigators need to learn from many standards of practice: researching from old to new computer systems, expand mechanical knowledge, create new developments and solutions for any investigation. Digital forensic analyst can play a key role in identifying and apprehending offenders, helping investigators establish connections between people and their online activities. However, attributing computer activities to a particular individual can be difficult. For example, logs showing that a particular Internet account was used to
A big problem with digital evidence is, that the suspects can hide the evidence on any location on the Hard Drive. That means a judge, a police office or a forensic analyst can impossible predict where exactly the evidence is located on the Hard Drive. That implies, that the forensic analyst have to search through the entire Hard Drive to find the evidence
For this reason, it is imperative that the information gathered is reliable and accurate to ensure the evidence collected can be utilized by the digital forensic investigator for the current case (Ingalls & Rodriguez, 2011). Additionally, cyber incidents require digital forensic investigators to interview various individuals regarding the information needed for the case. According to the National Institute of Justice (2004), interviewing the system administrator, users, and employees of an organization regarding a cyber incident would provide investigators with valuable information; for example, user accounts, email accounts, network configuration, logs, and passwords. Furthermore, for digital forensic investigators to conduct an effective interview, they must have the proper tools and training to employ the interview process. For instance, formal procedures or instructions should be developed and implemented to ensure that the investigator follows a standard during all investigations. Additionally, training should be provided to ensure that digital forensic investigators comprehend by what means to prepare, conduct, and evaluate an interview. Furthermore, resources should be made available for digital forensic investigators to accomplish their tasks; for example, recording devices and references. Also, definitions should be provided to the digital forensic investigators for
Digital crime has been on the increase due to the increasing use of computer and internet. This has led the investigators with another method of fighting this crime. This is Computer Forensics, a process of going into computer hard drive and capturing basic information the user believed it has been erased.
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
One of the drawbacks of computer technology and its use by law enforcement is that digital or electronic data and evidence obtained during investigations may easily be modified, deleted or lost. This fact makes the admissibility of such evidence in court to be contested thus slowing down the prosecution of crimes.
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
Just as technology has exponentially increased the level of communication and commerce, it has similarly expanded opportunities for criminal activity and victimization. The Internet can be used to commit crimes ranging from the release of a computer virus resulting in worldwide catastrophic damage to industrial espionage, from simple assaults to acts of terrorism, from child pornography to luring and sexual assault on children. Apart from the breadth of potential misconduct, the unique nature of the internet presents challenges not evident in the traditional law enforcement, such as questions of jurisdiction, evidence access and preservation, applicability of current laws, vulnerability of a virtually unlimited victim pool, and practical obstacles to the identification of perpetrators. In this investigation manual you will find the overview of a crime, conduct a seizure of evidence with pictures, what to do when conducting a search
Digital forensics has been responsible for putting away thousands and thousands of criminals. Ranging from simple crime computer crimes to child pornography. To get quality evidence that can be admissible in court there are steps that are needed in preparing a computer investigation. There are also requirements for data recovery, as well as procedures for corporate investigations. “Digital forensics has become prevalent because law enforcement recognizes that modern day life includes a variety of digital devices that can be exploited for criminal activity, not just computer systems. While computer forensics tends to focus on specific methods for extracting evidence from a particular platform, digital forensics must be modeled such that it can encompass all types of digital devices, including future digital technologies” (Reith, Carr, and Gunsch, 2002).
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.
One service provided by computer forensics includes electronic discovery. This is where documents, email, intellectual property, trade secrets, copyright issues, databases, internet activity, instant messaging, computer security and network intrusion are all examined and determined what information might be valuable to a case or situation. This area is used when a client has knowledge of what information is on the computer, or other device, and needs help in guiding them
Digital forensics is almost like observing someone’s complete psyche, you see that person likes and dislike. You are viewing their hates and love; you are finding things they don’t want to share with anyone else in the entire world. Using digital forensics is extremely perplexing with the obligation of interpreting the digital forensics that are located in an investigation.
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).
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.
Technology in today’s world is forever changing providing individual’s with freedoms they were not able to take advantage of prior to advancements. This can offer many advantages to the average American. The use of online health records is a prime example. Many hospitals are providing online access to a patient’s medical records to provide faster results and quicker response time. Those who receive treatment through the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) can even take advantage of having their medication refilled online during the cycle of a particular prescribed medicine in order to save the individual time. Likewise, many people can do their shopping right from their home through various large companies such as Wal-Mart or Amazon or small companies that exclusively provide a favorite product. While it can be easy to get caught up in the fast pace life with having everything right at your fingertips, especially with the use of SmartPhones, it can be equally as easy for individuals to steal one’s identity for the purpose of committing fraudulent activity. The offender can use the identity for various tasks such as buying a new car, obtaining a driver’s license, or even providing themselves with medical insurance all under another person’s name. This can leave a person in a world of financial and reputable turmoil, which can be difficult to recover from. Computer and cyber forensics
What is Computer forensics basically it is the integration of computer science and law to solve crimes. It serves as a branch of digital forensic science and it applies to evidence that is found in computers and digital storage media. Its purpose is to examine digital media through the identification, preservation, collection, analyzation and offering facts and creating opinions based on the digital information. Even if it relates most with many computer crimes computer forensics still can be used in civilian cases. The purpose of this essay is discuss how practice of Computer forensics originated, the challenges it faces, how it is used to help in the investigation of a crime and some examples of cases, and finally where the future of this technology is headed.