Digital forensic process: Difference between revisions

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The '''digital forensic process''' is a recognized scientific and forensic process used in [[digital forensics]] investigations.<ref name="first" /><ref name="handbook" /> Forensics researcher [[Eoghan Casey]] defines it as a number of steps from the original incident alert through to reporting of findings.<ref name="casey" /> The process is predominantly used in [[Computer forensics|computer]] and [[Mobile device forensics|mobile]] forensic investigations and consists of three steps: ''acquisition'', ''analysis'' and ''reporting''.

Digital media seized for investigation ismay usually referred to asbecome an "exhibit" in legal terminology if it is determined to be 'reliable'. Investigators employ the [[scientific method]] to recover [[digital evidence]] to support or disprove a hypothesis, either for a [[court of law]] or in [[civil litigation|civil proceedings]].<ref name="handbook" />

==Personnel==

The stages of the digital forensics process require different specialist training and knowledge. There are two roughbasic levels of personnel:<ref name="casey" />

;Digital forensic technician

:Technicians gather or process evidence at crime scenes. These technicians are trained on the correct handling of technology (for example how to preserve the evidence). Technicians may be required to carry out "Live analysis" of evidence. Various tools to simplify this procedure have been produced, mostsuch notablyas [[Microsoft]]'sEnCase, [[COFEE]]Velociraptor and FTK.

;Digital Evidence Examiners

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There have been many attempts to develop a process model but so far none have been universally accepted. Part of the reason for this may be due to the fact that many of the process models were designed for a specific environment, such as law enforcement, and they therefore could not be readily applied in other environments such as incident response.<ref name="adams" /> This is a list of the main models since 2001 in chronological order:<ref name="adams" />

* The Abstract Digital Forensic Model (Reith, et al., 2002)

* The Integrated Digital Investigative Process (Carrier & Spafford, 2003) [https://web.archive.org/web/20181223073625/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/915b/524318e2f0689b586ba7ae89ea39e9b22ce3.pdf ]

* An Extended Model of Cybercrime Investigations (Ciardhuain, 2004)

* The Enhanced Digital Investigation Process Model (Baryamureeba & Tushabe, 2004)[https://www.dfrws.org/sites/default/files/session-files/pres-the_enhanced_digital_investigation_process_model.pdf ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401144648/https://www.dfrws.org/sites/default/files/session-files/pres-the_enhanced_digital_investigation_process_model.pdf |date=2018-04-01 }}

* The Digital Crime Scene Analysis Model (Rogers, 2004)

* A Hierarchical, Objectives-Based Framework for the Digital Investigations Process (Beebe & Clark, 2004)

* Framework for a Digital Investigation (Kohn, et al., 2006)[http://mo.co.za/open/dfframe.pdf ]

* The Four Step Forensic Process (Kent, et al., 2006)

* FORZA - Digital forensics investigation framework (Ieong, 2006)[https://dfrws.org/sites/default/files/session-files/paper-forza_-_digital_forensics_investigation_framework_that_incorporate_legal_issues.pdf ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808232356/https://www.dfrws.org/sites/default/files/session-files/paper-forza_-_digital_forensics_investigation_framework_that_incorporate_legal_issues.pdf |date=2017-08-08 }}

* FORZA - Digital forensics investigation framework (Ieong, 2006)

* Process Flows for Cyber Forensics Training and Operations (Venter, 2006)

* The Common Process Model (Freiling & Schwittay, (2007) [https://www.imf-conference.org/imf2007/2%20Freiling%20common_model.pdf ]

* The Two-Dimensional Evidence Reliability Amplification Process Model (Khatir, et al., 2008)[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232619841_Two-Dimensional_Evidence_Reliability_Amplification_Process_Model_for_Digital_Forensics Two-Dimensional Evidence Reliability Amplification Process Model for Digital Forensics | Request PDF]

* The Digital Forensic Investigations Framework (Selamat, et al., 2008)

* The Systematic Digital Forensic Investigation Model (SRDFIM) (Agarwal, et al., 2011)[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228410430_Systematic_Digital_Forensic_Investigation_Model (PDF) Systematic Digital Forensic Investigation Model]

* The Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM): A process model for digital forensic practice (Adams, 2012) [http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/14422/2/02Whole.pdf Research Portal]

==Seizure==

Prior to the actual examination, digital media will be seized. In criminal cases this will often be performed by [[Law enforcement agency|law enforcement]] personnel trained as technicians to ensure the preservation of evidence. In civil matters it will usually be a company officer, often untrained. Various laws cover the [http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/S/Seizure.aspx seizure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821103731/http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/S/Seizure.aspx |date=2014-08-21 }} of material. In criminal matters, law related to [[search warrants]] is applicable. In civil proceedings, the assumption is that a company is able to investigate their own equipment without a warrant, so long as the privacy and human rights of employees are preserved.

==Acquisition==

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On most media types, including standard magnetic hard disks, once data has been [[Secure file deletion|securely deleted]] it can never be recovered.<ref>{{cite web

| url = http://www.anti-forensics.com/disk-wiping-one-pass-is-enough

| title = Disk Wiping – One Pass is Enough

| date = 17 March 2009

| access-date = 27 November 2011

}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100316163955/http://www.anti-forensics.com/disk-wiping-one-pass-is-enough

| archive-date = 16 March 2010

| url-status = dead

}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

|title = Disk Wiping – One Pass is Enough – Part 2 (this time with screenshots)

|url = http://www.anti-forensics.com/disk-wiping-one-pass-is-enough-part-2-this-time-with-screenshots

|date = 18 March 2009

|deadurlurl-status = yesdead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20111223162133/http://www.anti-forensics.com/disk-wiping-one-pass-is-enough-part-2-this-time-with-screenshots

|archivedate = 2011-12-23

|df =

}}</ref>

Once evidence is recovered the information is analysed to reconstruct events or actions and to reach conclusions, work that can often be performed by less specialized staff.<ref name="ijde-2002" /> Digital investigators, particularly in criminal investigations, have to ensure that conclusions are based upon data and their own expert knowledge.<ref name="casey" /> In the US, for example, Federal Rules of Evidence state that a qualified expert may testify “in"in the form of an opinion or otherwise”otherwise" so long as:

{{quote|(1) the testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data, (2) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods, and (3) the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case.<ref name="rule702" />}}

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{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="adams">{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Richard|title='The Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM): A process model for digital forensic practice|year=2012|url=http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/14422/2/02Whole.pdf}}</ref>

<ref name="first" >{{cite web|title='Electronic Crime Scene Investigation Guide: A Guide for First Responders|publisher=National Institute of Justice|year=2001|url=http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/187736.pdf}}</ref>

<ref name="casey">{{cite book|last=Casey|first=Eoghan|title=Digital Evidence and Computer Crime, Second Edition|year=2004|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=0-12-163104-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xo8GMt_AbQsC&hl=en&dqq=Digital%20Evidence%20and%20Computer%20Crime,%20Second%20Edition&ei=it1XTMncCMm44gbC_qyFBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA}}</ref>

<ref name="carrier" >{{cite web|last=Carrier|first=B|title=Defining digital forensic examination and analysis tools|citeseerx = 10.1.1.14.8953|publisher=Digital Research Workshop II|accessdateyear=22001 August 2010|yearurl=2001https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.14.8953}}</ref>

<ref name="horenbeeck">{{cite web|title=Technology Crime Investigation|url=http://www.daemon.be/maarten/forensics.html|accessdate=17 August 2010|author=Maarten Van Horenbeeck|date=24 May 2006|deadurlurl-status=yesdead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517022757/http://www.daemon.be/maarten/forensics.html|archivedate=17 May 2008|df=}}</ref>

<ref name="ijde-2002" >{{cite web|title=An examination of digital forensic models|citeseerx = 10.1.1.13.9683|publisher=International Journal of Digital Evidence|accessdate=2 August 2010|author1=M Reith |author2=C Carr |author3=G Gunsch |year=2002 |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.13.9683}}</ref>

<ref name="rule702" >{{cite web|title=Federal Rules of Evidence #702|url=http://federalevidence.com/rules-of-evidence#Rule702|accessdate=23 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819114909/http://federalevidence.com/rules-of-evidence#Rule702|archive-date=19 August 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="df-basics">{{cite web|last=Carrier|first=Brian D|title=Basic Digital Forensic Investigation Concepts|url=http://www.digital-evidence.org/di_basics.html|date=7 June 2006}}</ref>

<ref name="handbook" >{{cite book|last=Various|title=Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation|year=2009|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=978-0-12-374267-64|pages=567|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xNjsDprqtUYC|editor=Eoghan Casey|accessdate=4 September 2010}}</ref>

}}

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* [http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/199408.pdf U.S. Department of Justice - Forensic Examination of Digital Evidence: A guide for Law Enforcement]

* [https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/lab/forensic-science-communications/fsc/april2000/swgde.htm/ FBI - Digital Evidence: Standards and Principles]

* {{cite book|title=Computer forensics: incident response essentials|url=https://archive.org/details/computerforensic0000krus|url-access=registration|year=2002|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=0-201-70719-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/computerforensic0000krus/page/392 392]|author1=Warren G. Kruse |author2=Jay G. Heiser }}<!--|accessdate=3 February 2011-->

==Further reading==

* {{cite journal|last=Carrier|first=Brian D.|title=Risks of live digital forensic analysis|journal=Communications of the ACM|date=February 2006|volume=49|issue=2|pages=56–61 |doi=10.1145/1113034.1113069|s2cid=16829457|url=http://portal.acm.org.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/citation.cfm?doid=1113034.1113069|accessdate=31 August 2010|issn=0001-0782|url-access=subscription}}

{{Digital forensics}}