Use Of Our Knowledge Of Digital Forensics

Digital forensics (sometimes Digital forensic science) is a branch of forensic science encompassing the recovery and investigation of material found in digital devices, often in relation to computer crime.[1][2] The term digital forensics was originally used as a synonym for computer forensics but has expanded to cover all devices capable of storing digital data and is now used to describe the entire field.[1] The discipline evolved in a haphazard manner during the 1990s and it was not until the early 2000s that national policies were created.

Digital forensics has always been known across technologists and law enforcement as the art of hacking into a computer and retrieving important information. Information that holds the key to important crimes and issues surrounding criminal activity. More importantly, digital forensics has the ability to make the non-believer surrounding a criminal case into a swift prosecutor ready to use his or her fullest extent of the law; regarding the sensitive data that comes out of that powerful piece of machinery as we know today as technology. Digital forensic scientists have begun to venture into the world of cloud computing and its familiar components. Components such as remote servers, web browsers, and web based media devices that are connected to the cloud.

Review the information in the text sheet entitled “Overview of Evidence and Digital Forensic Analysis Techniques,” which describes different types of digital forensic analysis techniques, such as disk forensics and e-mail forensics.

Evidence plays a vital role throughout criminal investigations. Typically, we think of evidence as things such as fingerprints, DNA, and fibers. However, evidence as evolved as the world of technology has expanded. Digital evidence also now plays just as much of an important role as traditional evidence. When beginning an investigation that involves digital evidence, it is important for the investigator to know what evidence to look for. Identification of evidence, collection including transportation of evidence and examination of evidence are the three main aspects of the process.

Electronic evidence is very fragile because it can be destroyed or altered very easily, therefore it is imperative that investigators follow very careful all the procedural steps when collecting electronic evidence (Diversified Forensics). Before any electronic evidence is gathered investigators should determine whether there is probable cause that a crime has been committed, or if the crime was committed somewhere else the investigator should determine whether the electronic evidence will aid the investigation process to prove or disapprove the crime, if a warrant is needed it must be obtained prior to collecting the evidence (Diversified Forensics). Hard drives, computers, and other electronic devices must be turned off, unplug all cables,

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

A computer forensic investigation typically includes the collection, examination, analysis, and reporting of data. These steps could have been used to extract and preserve the data in the U.S. versus AOL case. Collection involves seizing digital evidence. Examination is where techniques are applied in order to identify and extract data. Analysis is using the data and resources to prove a case (Brecht, 2015). Reporting involves presenting the documentation gathered during the investigation. Investigators use these steps to examine evidence that could be needed in a trial. Following these steps is one way to ensure that the findings are sound and admissible in court. “The purpose of a computer forensic examination is to recover data from computers seized as evidence in criminal investigations (Brecht, 2015)”. Forensic tools are used by investigators to provide their collection, indexing and detailed analysis

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.

Moving onto the weaknesses, the following test will examine the acquisition of information, discovery of information, education, procedure and significance of the evidence. One of the main concerns in this field is still acquiring the information in a way that does not jeopardize the integrity of the information despite having the appropriate tools. This is because digital forensic scientists created the tools for security and other computer related purposes and not for forensic purposes (Casey, 2004, p.29). This poses specific issues when the investigators are trying to collect information in a manner that is acceptable by law, and while it is true that it is possible to create tools specifically for forensic purposes

Investigating a cyberstalking case presents a unique set of challenges. Evidence can be found in digital form, so it can be protected from being lost or damaged, or the complete opposite can be true and it can be easily lost, damaged, corrupted, or rendered inadmissible in court due to flawed forensic gathering practices. It is important, with cases involving digital media that the same procedures be followed when it comes to collecting evidence. Chain of custody documentation must still be kept. The right software must be used to directly copy any hardware seized or searched for investigative purposes.

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).

This manual is to assist forensic technicians who may be responsible for preserving electronic crime scene and recognizing, collecting, preserving, and storing digital evidence. When dealing with digital evidence, these principles apply: The process of collecting, securing, and transporting digital evidence should not change the evidence in anyway. Only trained forensic technicians specifically for digital evidence should conduct the analysis. Everything done during the search, seizure, transportation and the storage of the digital evidence should be documented, preserved and ready for review.

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

Processing a crime scene is no easy task. Individuals who are trained to process and analyze these crime scenes cannot just walk into area of interest and commence handling items and taking items of possible implications of the situation. This holds true for a digital forensics investigator as well. Digital forensics investigators are looking for any possible digital evidence within the crime scene, but it’s not as simple as just finding a computer and taking it to the lab. “Digital evidence is information stored or transmitted in binary form that may be relied on in court. It can be found on a computer hard drive, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a CD, and a flash card in a digital camera, among other places” (Digital Evidence and Forensics, 2016). Identifying, preparing for the search, seizing the evidence, documentation, and chain of custody are all critical pieces of ensuring digital evidence is admissible in court.

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.