It was not until the early 21st century that national strategies for computer forensics were developed. Digital forensics is a highly detailed investigative approach that involves collecting and examining digital evidence on incident response electronic devices and then responding to threats and attacks. In the cybersecurity world, digital forensics and incident response uses forensics to investigate cases related to data breaches and malware, among other things.
The digital forensics curriculum and courses provide students with a solid foundation in forensic investigation techniques. Students learn how to conduct a real crime scene investigation in a hands-on exercise, collect electronic evidence at the scene, examine seized electronic evidence using forensic methods, and summarize the findings in an investigation report. The Digital Forensics program takes an interdisciplinary approach that combines technology and law. In addition to helping the team respond to attacks, digital forensics plays an important role throughout the remediation process.
Sleuth Kit is a collection of Unix and Windows-based utilities that extract data from computer systems. It is open source software that analyzes disk images created with “dd” and recovers data from them. With this software, practitioners can collect data during incident response or from running systems. In the absence of efficient resources for evidence analysis, the PA news agency found that 12,122 devices in 32 forces are awaiting examination. The backlog is unlikely to remain the same as last year, making it difficult for prosecutors in criminal cases.
The increasing use of third-party vendors means that cybersecurity has never been more important. Mobile forensics is a branch of digital forensics that focuses on recovering digital evidence from mobile devices using forensic methods. Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science that focuses on the recovery and examination of material found on digital devices and cybercrime.
What is digital forensics and how does this new generation of cyber skills help law enforcement and businesses investigate criminal activity and protect us from the bad guys? We spoke with Dr. Denise Kinsey, who has more than 25 years of experience in the field and recently joined National University to share her expertise in digital forensics with students in the online cybersecurity degree program. Digital forensics is a new science that deals with finding evidence in digital media such as computers, cell phones or networks. Forensic teams analyze, review, identify, and secure digital evidence and use it to investigate technology-related crimes. Whether data was compromised by a cyberattack or files were encrypted by ransomware, data forensic experts can help determine how the attack occurred, how much damage was done and, in many cases, who perpetrated it.
