COMPUTER

FORENSICS

Forensic computing is nothing but process of identifying, preserving, analysing and

presenting the digital evidence in the form of legally acceptable manner.
Following are the four stages involved in it:

IDENTIFICATION:
In this process, identification of things like whether any evidence is
present, how it is stored, where it is stored and which operating system is
used for it. By accessing this information, the tools, appropriate recovery
methodologies used are easily identified by the investigator.

PRESERVATION:
Here in this step, the preservation of integrity of digital evidence and
ensuring custody chain is not broken. Using reproducible methodologies,
the data has to be preserved (copied) on stable media like CD-ROM.
Documentation of all steps taken to capture the data must happen. If
there are any changes to the evidence then they should be documented,
including about the change and why it was changed. In the court of law,
you may need to prove integrity.

ANALYSIS:
In the analysis step, reviewing and examining the data should be there.
The major use of it is maintaining the integrity whilst examining the
changes by copying this data onto CD-ROM.

PRESENTATION:
In this process the evidence is presented in a legally acceptable and
understandable manner. This process plays a major role when the jury
who may have least computer experience, can understand well when
presented reflects originality.

COMPUTER FORENSICS MEANS?

Computer forensics is simply the application of disciplined investigative
techniques in the automated environment and the search, discovery, and
analysis of potential evidence. It is the method used to investigate and
analyse data maintained on or retrieved from electronic data storage
media for the purposes of presentation in a court of law, civil or
administrative proceeding.

ORIGIN OF COMPUTER FORENSICS:

Michael Anderson
He is the Father of computer forensics

He worked as special agent with IRS

In 1988 meeting (Portland, Oregon)

The IACIS is created, the International Association of Computer
Investigative Specialists
Also, first Seized Computer Evidence Recovery Specialists (SCERS)
classes held

NECESSITY OF COMPUTER FORENSICS:

The computer forensics has become vital in the corporate world. There
can be theft of the data from an organization in which case the
organization may sustain heavy losses. For this purpose, computer
forensics are used as they help in tracking the criminal. The need in the
present age can be considered as much severe due to the internet
advancements and the dependency on the internet.
The computer forensics is also efficient where in the data is stored in a
single system for the backup. The data theft and the intentional damage
of the data in a single system can also be minimized with the computer
forensics.

IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER FORENSICS:

(1) Persistent data (2) Volatile data are the two basic types of data
collected in this computer forensics.

RECOVER DATA THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS LOST FOREVER

ADVICE YOU ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR DATA AND INFORMATION SAFE
FROM THEFT OR ACCIDENTAL LOSS
EXAMINE A COMPUTER TO FIND OUT WHAT ITS USER HAS BEEN
DOING
SWEEP YOUR OFFICE FOR LISTNENING DEVICES
HI-TECH INVESTIGATION
APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTER FORENSICS:
FINANCIAL FRUAD DETECTION:
Corporates and banks can be detecting financial frauds with the
help of evidence collected from systems. Also, insurance
companies can detect possible fraud in accident, arson, and
workmans compensation cases with the help of computer evidence.

CRIMINAL PROSECUTION:
Prosecutors can use computer evidence to establish crimes such
as homicides, drug and false record-keeping, financial frauds, and
child pornography in the court of law.

CIVIL LITIGATION:

Personal and business records found on the computer systems

related to fraud, discrimination, and harassment cases can be used
in civil litigations.

CORPORATE SECURITY POLICY AND ACCEPTABLS USE

VIOLATIONS:

A lot of computer forensic work done is to support

management and human resources (HR) investigations of employee
abuse.
ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY MANOJ.I, PURSUING B-TECH IN MITS.
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