Digital forensics, also known as cyber forensics, is pivotal in modern crime investigation, particularly amidst the surge of cybercrimes impacting financial institutions and fraud cases. This field involves meticulous gathering, analysis, and preservation of digital evidence to support legal proceedings. However, cybercriminals’ adeptness at concealing tracks, coupled with the accessibility of malware-as-a-service (MaaS), poses significant challenges to investigators. In this dynamic landscape, professionals must continuously innovate to combat emerging cyber threats effectively. Join us as we explore the complexities and prospects within digital forensics, shedding light on its crucial role in combating cybercrime.
What Is Digital Forensics?
Also known as computer forensics or cyber forensics, digital forensics is a branch of forensic science that involves the investigation, collection, analysis, and preservation of digital evidence to support legal proceedings or solve cybercrimes. This career field is often seen in action in financial institutions such as banks, digital frauds, money laundering, terrorist financing and other cyber-crimes, all of which are very common. It primarily deals with the examination of digital devices and data to uncover, interpret, and present information that can be used in a court of law or other investigative contexts.
The purpose of digital forensics is to identify and preserve digital evidence in its purest form, to enable relevant investigative procedures to be carried out and conclusions drawn. The computer is a reliable witness that cannot lie. Digital evidence contains an unfiltered account of a suspect’s activity, recorded in its direct words and actions. To identify all the hidden details left after or during an incident, hardware and software digital forensic tools are used.
The Key Elements of Computer Forensics Are:
- The use of scientific methods.
- Collection and preservation.
- Validation of Information.
- Identification.
- Analysis and interpretation.
- Documentation and presentation
Types of Digital Forensics
The exact duties and responsibilities of someone working in digital forensics can vary depending on the area of the field in which they work. Some of the most common types of digital forensics include:
- Computer forensics – This branch of digital forensics involves the investigation of computers to identify, analyze, and investigate digital data.
- Network forensics – In this branch of digital forensics, network activities (such as internet usage, messages, and email) are proactively monitored and investigated.
- Mobile device forensics – In mobile device forensics, the focus is on devices such as cell phones and tablets. However, any device with internal memory and communication ability (including smart watches and GPS devices) can be lumped into this category.
- Database forensics – This branch of digital forensics focuses on the investigation of database activity (including changes made to data) to prevent or investigate a crime. Database forensics, for instance, can be used to study transactions that may prove a user committed fraud.
Digital Forensics Tools and Techniques
Regardless of which branch of digital forensics you may end up in, you will need to become familiar with a number of commonly used tools and techniques to succeed in the field. Some of the most common techniques used in this field include:
- Reverse steganography – The process of analyzing data found in a digital file to look for suspicious or hidden information that could be malicious.
- Cross-drive analysis – The process of cross-referencing information across several devices or mediums to find data or information that supports the overall investigation.
- Deleted file recovery – Also commonly referred to as file carving, this technique involves searching a computer system or hard drive for files that have been deleted.
- Live analysis – This process involves the use of system tools to inspect or monitor a device while it is actively being used.
The Growth of Cybercrime
Instances of cybercrime continue to grow across the globe, including within the United States. In fact, it is estimated that more than 53 million Americans were impacted by cybercrime in the first half of 2022 alone. From identity theft to malicious web attacks and everything in between, digital forensics professionals are needed to prevent and investigate a wide range of crimes.
The Role of Digital Forensics in Law Enforcement
These days, evidence from digital forensics investigations is increasingly used by law enforcement to charge and prosecute cybercrimes. In fact, many police agencies and other investigation bureaus now hire their own digital forensics teams to focus specifically on this aspect of law enforcement.
Solving Cold Cases and Revisiting Old Evidence
The realm of digital forensics and computer investigations has come a long way in a relatively short period. As a result, it is now becoming possible for digital forensics investigators to revisit old evidence (and even recover evidence that was previously missed) using new tools and techniques. Specifically, advancements in data recovery have made it possible to pinpoint data and files that were not before possible—which can have a considerable impact on the ability to solve cold cases.
Legal Considerations and Admissibility of Digital Evidence in Court
One of the more dynamic areas of digital forensics is that of legal considerations and the admissibility of digital evidence in court. With more people using the web and digital devices to communicate than ever before, it has become increasingly common for digital evidence to be used against criminals in their prosecution. As a result, the laws regarding the admissibility of this type of evidence have changed significantly over the past several years.
Generally speaking, digital evidence is admissible in court. However, it is usually necessary for a digital forensics expert to serve as a testifying witness to explain what the evidence is, how it was obtained, and where it came from. To be used in court, digital evidence must be carefully preserved and authenticated. It must also follow a specific chain of custody to ensure that it is not tampered with at any point during the legal process. Again, this is where the value of experienced computer forensic investigators is evident, as these professionals are often responsible not just for gathering evidence but preserving it and testifying in court.
The Ethics of Digital Forensics
As the field of digital forensics has grown, so has concern over the ethics of this kind of investigation. Perhaps the biggest concern is that of potential invasion of privacy, as digital forensics investigators must often access sensitive data without explicit consent. In many cases, this may also be done without the need for a warrant. With all this in mind, it is essential for those working in this field to stay up to date on all laws regarding individuals’ right to privacy and related concerns.
Likewise, digital forensics investigators are expected to control their own personal biases in their work. Many organizations within the digital forensics industry, including the International Society of Forensics Computer Examiners (ISFCE) and the High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) have their own code of ethics. Members of these organizations are expected to abide by these codes, which are designed to prevent dangerous bias and ensure that privacy rights are not infringed upon.
The inclusion of ethics in digital forensics should be considered or consolidated in aspects of information security at the university level and professional training centers. It should not be concluded with the fact that they are aspects of human knowledge, or with some type of courses, conferences, or exercises with very little intervention of the standards of professional conduct and that fail to contribute to the student’s abilities to cope with ethical challenges.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Future of Digital Forensics and CSI
The field of digital forensics is fast paced, with new innovations and changes occurring all the time. With the dynamic nature of this field, however, come some inherent challenges. Consider, for example, that computer systems and networks are now exponentially more complex than they were even a decade ago. As a result, it can be more difficult for investigators to recover digital evidence and do their jobs—and more advanced techniques may be needed to carry out investigations thoroughly.
There are several cybersecurity challenges today and more are expected in the future. One of the most important challenges is the increase in sophisticated and coordinated cyber-attacks, which can cause significant damage to companies and individuals. Another challenge is the increasing number of devices connected to the internet, which creates more potential entry points for attackers. There is also an increase in the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, which poses new challenges in terms of security.
Likewise, cybercriminals have also become savvier. They know how to disguise files, get rid of incriminating data, and launch malicious attacks without hardly leaving a trace. This, combined with the ready availability of malware-as-a-service (MaaS), makes the job of a digital forensics’ investigator more challenging than ever. MaaS is a malicious variation of a software-as-a-service model which has been altered to be used for cybercrimes. This tool is popular due to its ease of use and ease of access. In many ways, computer forensics experts and cybercriminals are constantly going back and forth, each trying to outsmart the other.
There are also many exciting opportunities and innovations emerging in the field. Current digital forensics techniques and tools (such as live analysis and cross-drive analysis) now make it possible for investigators to collect evidence and learn about a potential case more readily.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) innovations are also making it possible for digital forensics professionals to collect and analyze more data in less time, identifying patterns and revealing new insights. Only time will tell how AI will be used in the realm of digital forensics, but the future is promising.
Career Paths in Digital Forensics
If you decide to go into the field of digital forensics, there are many different career paths you may consider. That is one of the best things about this field of study: the ability to choose from any number of jobs and positions where you can put your skills to use.
Professional Profile:
The professional profile must have extensive experience in digital forensics, network-based forensics, and operating systems. Experience using digital forensic tools. Specific experience related to handling information security incidents and events or forensic investigations and malware analysis. It is desirable that you have professional certifications in digital forensic investigation, at least the following CDFE: Certified Digital Forensics Examiner, CHFI: Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, CFCE: Certified Forensic Computer Examiner, CCE: Certified Computer Examiner or CSFA: Cyber Security Forensic Analyst.
Specializing in Cybersecurity Forensics
Many people who study digital forensics go on to work as cybersecurity forensics professionals. These experts can work in any number of positions, including cybersecurity consultant. These consultants are typically hired by third-party agencies or organizations to improve their own cybersecurity practices with the end goal of avoiding a web attack, data breach, or other cybersecurity crisis.
Meanwhile, some cybersecurity forensics professionals go on to work as penetration testers. This type of work essentially involves testing a cybersecurity system for weaknesses and making improvements as needed.
Law enforcement agencies at the city, state, and federal levels also hire cybersecurity forensics specialists to investigate crimes, testify as expert witnesses, and assist with other cybercrime and cybersecurity work. This can be an excellent career path for those with an interest in law enforcement and criminal justice.
Becoming a Certified Forensic Examiner
For those who want to stand out from the competition in this dynamic field, becoming a certified digital forensic examiner can be a smart choice. Typically, this type of certification requires you to pass a standardized exam in addition to completing a relevant degree program. However, exact requirements can vary from one school and even one state to the next.
Skills Needed in Digital Forensics
There are many hard and soft skills that can come in handy for those who want to succeed in a digital forensics career. Hard skills include technical aptitude and the ability to understand and investigate any number of different computer systems, devices, databases, and networks. A strong understanding of cybersecurity laws and criminal investigations will also serve you well in this line of work.
From there, it also helps to be an analytical thinker with a strong attention to detail. In digital forensics, even the seemingly minutest of details can have major implications. Successful digital forensics professionals are also solid communicators and are never done learning, as the field is constantly adapting and changing.
Start Your Digital Forensics Career Today
A career in digital forensics can be extremely rewarding, with new challenges to tackle and new things to learn each day. If you are interested in digital forensics or computer forensics as a career option, Post University is here to help. We offer a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems with a concentration in cybersecurity, both online and in person. Reach out to learn more about our program or start your application today!
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