Digital forensics is all about uncovering to solve crimes. It's like being a detective, but instead of searching for physical clues, you're digging through computers and phones to find hidden data.
In this part, we'll learn how to properly collect and analyze digital evidence. We'll cover techniques for preserving data integrity, recovering deleted files, and examining everything from computer memory to mobile devices.
Digital Evidence Acquisition
Understanding Digital Evidence and Forensic Imaging
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Top images from around the web for Understanding Digital Evidence and Forensic Imaging
basic forensics imaging kit | Asus eeepc (battery life 5 hou… | Flickr View original
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disk imaging via tableau write blocker | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original
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tableau usb write blocker | Showing some of the data deliver… | Flickr View original
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basic forensics imaging kit | Asus eeepc (battery life 5 hou… | Flickr View original
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disk imaging via tableau write blocker | Flickr - Photo Sharing! View original
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Digital evidence encompasses electronically stored information used in legal proceedings
Digital evidence includes data from computers, smartphones, and other digital devices
creates bit-by-bit copies of digital storage media
Forensic imaging preserves original evidence integrity for analysis
prevent accidental modification of original data during imaging
Write blockers function by intercepting write commands to the storage device
Ensuring Evidence Integrity
generates unique digital fingerprints for evidence verification
Hashing algorithms (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256) produce fixed-length output strings
Hash values confirm data integrity throughout the investigation process
documents evidence handling from collection to presentation
Chain of custody includes details on who, what, when, where, and why of evidence handling
Proper chain of custody ensures evidence admissibility in court proceedings
Data Types and Analysis
Volatile vs Non-volatile Data
exists temporarily in computer memory (RAM)
Volatile data disappears when power is removed from the system
Volatile data includes running processes, network connections, and open files
persists after power loss (hard drives, SSDs, USB drives)
Non-volatile data includes file systems, user files, and system logs
Investigators prioritize volatile data collection before system shutdown
Advanced Data Recovery Techniques
recovers deleted or partially overwritten files from unallocated space
File carving uses file signatures and headers to identify and reconstruct data
examines file attributes (creation date, modification time, file permissions)
Metadata provides crucial information about file history and user interactions
reconstructs chronological sequence of events on a system
Timeline analysis correlates data from various sources (file system, logs, metadata)
Specialized Forensics
Memory and Network Forensics
analyzes computer RAM contents for evidence
Memory forensics captures running processes, malware, and encryption keys
Memory forensics tools (, ) extract and analyze RAM dumps
examines traffic and logs for suspicious activities
Network forensics investigates intrusions, data exfiltration, and communication patterns
Network forensics tools (, ) capture and analyze network packets
Mobile Device Forensics
extracts data from smartphones and tablets
Mobile forensics recovers call logs, messages, location data, and app information
Mobile forensics tools (, ) bypass device locks and extract data
Mobile forensics addresses challenges of diverse operating systems and encryption
Mobile forensics examines cloud-based data associated with mobile devices
Mobile forensics considers legal and privacy implications of personal device analysis