Today, most of the information people see, share, and store is digital. Whether sending messages to colleagues and friends, storing files on computers, or simply browsing the internet, people using technology leave a constant digital footprint containing data about themselves and their families.
In the event of a crime, this digital evidence can be pivotal to finding who’s responsible and solving the case. However, analysing this data can be incredibly complex, given the vast amounts of data stored online and on multiple devices used by a single individual.
Digital forensics allows organisations, law firms, and law enforcement agencies to gain access to this data during criminal proceedings and use it as viable evidence in court.
This article tells you everything you need to know about digital forensics, including what it is, when it is necessary, and how digital forensics specialists operate.
What is digital forensics?
Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science that collects, analyses, and presents digital evidence found on electronic devices. This evidence can be used in criminal investigations, civil lawsuits, and even internal corporate investigations.
Digital forensics is crucial because so much of our lives are now digital. Our devices can contain vast amounts of information about our daily activities, communications, and even our state of mind. Digital forensics investigators use special techniques to recover and analyse this data from digital devices like computers, phones, and tablets.
Once they gain access to this data, they can use specialised tools to extract evidence that might be helpful in an investigation. This could include recovering deleted files, examining browsing history, or even delving into hidden messages stored on a device. With this evidence, they can present their analysis in a way that’s clear and admissible in court, if necessary.
How does digital forensics work?
1. Collection
The collection phase of digital forensics is the critical first step where potentially valuable evidence is identified, acquired, and preserved.
This involves identifying and collecting digital devices that might contain evidence, such as computers, smartphones, or storage devices like USB sticks and hard drives.
Once the devices are identified, they are seized following legal procedures. A document is created to establish a chain of custody, which serves as a vital record that tracks the movement and handling of the evidence throughout the investigation process.
The seized devices are then preserved to prevent any alteration or damage to the data they contain. This might involve techniques like powering down devices to prevent further writes or using write-blocking devices to avoid accidental modifications.
Depending on the jurisdiction and the nature of the investigation, there might be specific legal requirements for collecting digital evidence. Following these guidelines ensures the evidence is admissible in court.
2. Examination
The Examination phase of digital forensics ensures the integrity of the evidence acquired during collection. This is achieved by creating a forensic image; a bit-by-bit copy of the storage media that acts as a pristine copy that can be analyzed without any risk of altering the original device.
Once the forensic image is created, the examiner can delve deeper into the data. This involves using a variety of tools and techniques depending on the specific case, including:
- File System Analysis: Examining how data is organized on the device, including deleted files and file fragments that might reveal past activity.
- Data Carving: Recovering fragments of deleted files or data that wasn’t saved in a traditional file format (like hidden messages).
- Metadata Analysis: Examining the hidden data embedded within files, such as creation dates, modifications, and even previous versions of documents.
- Keyword Searching: Searching for specific keywords or phrases within the data that might be relevant to the investigation.
Masticating documentation is essential throughout the examination process. Digital forensic analysts must record all actions taken, tools used, and relevant observations made during the analysis. This documentation helps maintain the chain of custody and ensures the evidence hasn’t been tampered with and is admissible in court.
Throughout the examination process, meticulous documentation is essential. Digital forensic analysts must record all actions taken, tools used, and any relevant observations made during the analysis. This documentation helps maintain the chain of custody and ensures the evidence hasn’t been tampered with and is admissible in court.
3. Analysis
The analysis phase of digital forensics is where the detective work truly begins. After the meticulous examination phase that creates a forensic image and identifies potential evidence, the analysis phase digs deeper to interpret and understand the extracted data.
Forensic specialists use a variety of tools and techniques to analyze the data extracted from the forensic image. This data often exists in isolation. The analysis phase focuses on putting the pieces together and correlating data points from various sources, such as browsing history, email logs, and chat messages, to identify patterns and build a comprehensive picture of what happened.
Based on the initial investigation and the nature of the case, the examiner might have formed a hypothesis about what transpired. During analysis, they’ll test this hypothesis against the extracted evidence. This may involve looking for specific data points that support or refute the initial assumptions. The hypothesis may be refined as the analysis progresses based on new findings.
The ultimate goal of the analysis is to identify digital artefacts and evidence that can be used to answer investigative questions or support a case in court. These artefacts could be deleted files containing sensitive information, hidden communications, or traces of malware activity.
4. Reporting
The reporting phase of digital forensics is the final stage, during which the examiner presents their findings in a clear, concise, and legally defensible report. This report is a critical document that can be used in court, during internal investigations, or for future reference.
If the investigation is related to legal proceedings, it needs to be prepared with legal admissibility in mind, such as by adhering to specific formatting guidelines or following established procedures for digital evidence presentation.
The report should also document the chain of custody throughout the investigation to demonstrate that the evidence was handled appropriately and hasn’t been tampered with. A technical report for another examiner might delve deeper into technical details, while a report for a non-technical audience, like for a jury to understand, might require more straightforward explanations for each stage of the investigation.
When is digital forensics necessary?
Digital forensics is necessary in a wide range of scenarios where electronic evidence is required. Its most common use cases include:
1. Legal Investigations
Law enforcement agencies use digital forensics to investigate cybercrimes like hacking, data breaches, identity theft, and online harassment. They can also use it for traditional crimes where digital evidence might be present, such as fraud, money laundering, or even murder investigations where a suspect’s digital devices might contain crucial information.
Digital forensics allows investigators to examine a suspect’s phone to find location data, analyse their browsing history to see if they researched the crime, or recover deleted messages that might contain incriminating details.
2. Civil Cases
Digital forensics can also be important in civil lawsuits. For instance, it might be used in intellectual property theft cases to identify the source of a leak or in employment disputes to recover deleted emails or documents.
Digital forensics can analyse financial records, emails, and other electronic data in cases involving fraud, embezzlement, or financial disputes to uncover patterns of suspicious activity. For instance, it can help identify unauthorised transfers of funds, hidden accounts, or manipulated documents.
3. Corporate Investigations
Businesses can leverage digital forensics for internal investigations into employee misconduct, data breaches, or intellectual property theft. If a company suspects an employee of stealing confidential information or trade secrets, digital forensics can examine the employee’s devices to find evidence like copied files, emails, or even internet browsing history that could indicate improper data transfer.
Digital forensics can also be used to investigate employee misconduct related to financial fraud. By examining financial records, emails, and other digital data, investigators can uncover patterns or inconsistencies that might indicate fraudulent activity.
4. Incident Response
If a security breach or incident is identified, digital forensics can help determine the extent of the compromise. Forensic specialists can identify the attack vectors by analysing infected systems and understand how the attackers infiltrated the system. This helps IR teams isolate compromised systems, prevent further damage, and eradicate the malicious presence.
Digital forensics specialists are trained to collect and preserve digital evidence in a way that maintains its legal defensibility. This evidence, which can include malware samples, logs, and infected files, is crucial for understanding the attacker’s methods and potentially identifying them. After containing the threat, digital forensics helps IR teams conduct a root cause analysis to understand how the attackers gained access and what vulnerabilities they exploited. This analysis is essential for patching vulnerabilities and preventing similar incidents in the future.
5. Data Loss Prevention
After a data loss incident, digital forensics can be used to examine digital evidence and identify the root cause of the breach. This could involve analysing log files, network traffic, or user activity on company devices to determine how the data was lost.
The findings from a digital forensics investigation can be used to improve data loss prevention strategies. By understanding how the data loss occurred, organisations can identify weaknesses in their existing security measures and implement stronger preventative actions.
SIP International Digital Forensics Services
Before any forensic analysis, SIP engages with the client to establish the case’s circumstances, including a timeline of events, technical specifications, and identifiers relating to the device where the data is stored.
SIP forensic investigative specialists analyse the data to identify any wrongdoing or other activity applicable to the objective sought and then compile a comprehensive report to be presented as evidence in civil or criminal proceedings.
Regardless of the method used for data collection, SIP ensures that the data’s integrity is maintained. Our specialists follow strict compliant protocols to ensure the data remains protected, transferring the data from the original source through imaging to ensure no changes have been made to the original files.
