The Basics of Digital Forensics provides a foundation for people new to the digital forensics field. This book offers guidance on how to conduct examinations by discussing what digital forensics is, the methodologies used, key tactical concepts, and the tools needed to perform examinations. Details on digital forensics for computers, networks, cell phones, GPS, the cloud and the Internet are discussed. Also, learn how to collect evidence, document the scene, and how deleted data can be recovered. The new Second Edition of this book provides the reader with real-world examples and all the key technologies used in digital forensics, as well as new coverage of network intrusion response, how hard drives are organized, and electronic discovery. This valuable resource also covers how to incorporate quality assurance into an investigation, how to prioritize evidence items to examine (triage), case processing, and what goes into making an expert witness. Learn what Digital Forensics entails Build a toolkit and prepare an investigative plan Understand the common artifacts to look for in an exam Second Edition features all-new coverage of hard drives, triage, network intrusion response, and electronic discovery; as well as updated case studies and expert interviews

Use this hands-on, introductory guide to understand and implement digital forensics to investigate computer crime using Windows, the most widely used operating system. This book provides you with the necessary skills to identify an intruder's footprints and to gather the necessary digital evidence in a forensically sound manner to prosecute in a court of law. Directed toward users with no experience in the digital forensics field, this book provides guidelines and best practices when conducting investigations as well as teaching you how to use a variety of tools to investigate computer crime. You will be prepared to handle problems such as law violations, industrial espionage, and use of company resources for private use. Digital Forensics Basics is written as a series of tutorials with each task demonstrating how to use a specific computer forensics tool or technique. Practical information is provided and users can read a task and then implement it directly on their devices. Some theoretical information is presented to define terms used in each technique and for users with varying IT skills. What You’ll Learn Assemble computer forensics lab requirements, including workstations, tools, and more Document the digital crime scene, including preparing a sample chain of custody form Differentiate between law enforcement agency and corporate investigationsGather intelligence using OSINT sources Acquire and analyze digital evidence Conduct in-depth forensic analysis of Windows operating systems covering Windows 10–specific feature forensicsUtilize anti-forensic techniques, including steganography, data destruction techniques, encryption, and anonymity techniques Who This Book Is For Police and other law enforcement personnel, judges (with no technical background), corporate and nonprofit management, IT specialists and computer security professionals, incident response team members, IT military and intelligence services officers, system administrators, e-business security professionals, and banking and insurance professionals

This hands-on textbook provides an accessible introduction to the fundamentals of digital forensics. The text contains thorough coverage of the theoretical foundations, explaining what computer forensics is, what it can do, and also what it can’t. A particular focus is presented on establishing sound forensic thinking and methodology, supported by practical guidance on performing typical tasks and using common forensic tools. Emphasis is also placed on universal principles, as opposed to content unique to specific legislation in individual countries. Topics and features: introduces the fundamental concepts in digital forensics, and the steps involved in a forensic examination in a digital environment; discusses the nature of what cybercrime is, and how digital evidence can be of use during criminal investigations into such crimes; offers a practical overview of common practices for cracking encrypted data; reviews key artifacts that have proven to be important in several cases, highlighting where to find these and how to correctly interpret them; presents a survey of various different search techniques, and several forensic tools that are available for free; examines the functions of AccessData Forensic Toolkit and Registry Viewer; proposes methods for analyzing applications, timelining, determining the identity of the computer user, and deducing if the computer was remote controlled; describes the central concepts relating to computer memory management, and how to perform different types of memory analysis using the open source tool Volatility; provides review questions and practice tasks at the end of most chapters, and supporting video lectures on YouTube. This easy-to-follow primer is an essential resource for students of computer forensics, and will also serve as a valuable reference for practitioners seeking instruction on performing forensic examinations in law enforcement or in the private sector.

Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation builds on the success of the Handbook of Computer Crime Investigation, bringing together renowned experts in all areas of digital forensics and investigation to provide the consummate resource for practitioners in the field. It is also designed as an accompanying text to Digital Evidence and Computer Crime. This unique collection details how to conduct digital investigations in both criminal and civil contexts, and how to locate and utilize digital evidence on computers, networks, and embedded systems. Specifically, the Investigative Methodology section of the Handbook provides expert guidance in the three main areas of practice: Forensic Analysis, Electronic Discovery, and Intrusion Investigation. The Technology section is extended and updated to reflect the state of the art in each area of specialization. The main areas of focus in the Technology section are forensic analysis of Windows, Unix, Macintosh, and embedded systems (including cellular telephones and other mobile devices), and investigations involving networks (including enterprise environments and mobile telecommunications technology). This handbook is an essential technical reference and on-the-job guide that IT professionals, forensic practitioners, law enforcement, and attorneys will rely on when confronted with computer related crime and digital evidence of any kind. *Provides methodologies proven in practice for conducting digital investigations of all kinds *Demonstrates how to locate and interpret a wide variety of digital evidence, and how it can be useful in investigations *Presents tools in the context of the investigative process, including EnCase, FTK, ProDiscover, foremost, XACT, Network Miner, Splunk, flow-tools, and many other specialized utilities and analysis platforms *Case examples in every chapter give readers a practical understanding of the technical, logistical, and legal challenges that arise in real investigations

Every computer crime leaves tracks–you just have to know where to find them. This book shows you how to collect and analyze the digital evidence left behind in a digital crime scene. Computers have always been susceptible to unwanted intrusions, but as the sophistication of computer technology increases so does the need to anticipate, and safeguard against, a corresponding rise in computer-related criminal activity. Computer forensics, the newest branch of computer security, focuses on the aftermath of a computer security incident. The goal of computer forensics is to conduct a structured investigation to determine exactly what happened, who was responsible, and to perform the investigation in such a way that the results are useful in a criminal proceeding. Written by two experts in digital investigation, Computer Forensics provides extensive information on how to handle the computer as evidence. Kruse and Heiser walk the reader through the complete forensics process–from the initial collection of evidence through the final report. Topics include an overview of the forensic relevance of encryption, the examination of digital evidence for clues, and the most effective way to present your evidence and conclusions in court. Unique forensic issues associated with both the Unix and the Windows NT/2000 operating systems are thoroughly covered. This book provides a detailed methodology for collecting, preserving, and effectively using evidence by addressing the three A's of computer forensics: Acquire the evidence without altering or damaging the original data. Authenticate that your recorded evidence is the same as the original seized data. Analyze the data without modifying the recovered data. Computer Forensics is written for everyone who is responsible for investigating digital criminal incidents or who may be interested in the techniques that such investigators use. It is equally helpful to those investigating hacked web servers, and those who are investigating the source of illegal pornography.

Section 1: What is Digital Forensics? Chapter 1. Digital Evidence is Everywhere Chapter 2. Overview of Digital Forensics Chapter 3. Digital Forensics -- The Sub-Disciplines Chapter 4. The Foundations of Digital Forensics -- Best Practices Chapter 5. Overview of Digital Forensics Tools Chapter 6. Digital Forensics at Work in the Legal System Section 2: Experts Chapter 7. Why Do I Need an Expert? Chapter 8. The Difference between Computer Experts and Digital Forensic Experts Chapter 9. Selecting a Digital Forensics Expert Chapter 10. What to Expect from an Expert Chapter 11. Approaches by Different Types of Examiners Chapter 12. Spotting a Problem Expert Chapter 13. Qualifying an Expert in Court Sections 3: Motions and Discovery Chapter 14. Overview of Digital Evidence Discovery Chapter 15. Discovery of Digital Evidence in Criminal Cases Chapter 16. Discovery of Digital Evidence in Civil Cases Chapter 17. Discovery of Computers and Storage Media Chapter 18. Discovery of Video Evidence Ch ...

Digital Forensics with Open Source Tools is the definitive book on investigating and analyzing computer systems and media using open source tools. The book is a technical procedural guide, and explains the use of open source tools on Mac, Linux and Windows systems as a platform for performing computer forensics. Both well-known and novel forensic methods are demonstrated using command-line and graphical open source computer forensic tools for examining a wide range of target systems and artifacts. Written by world-renowned forensic practitioners, this book uses the most current examination and analysis techniques in the field. It consists of 9 chapters that cover a range of topics such as the open source examination platform; disk and file system analysis; Windows systems and artifacts; Linux systems and artifacts; Mac OS X systems and artifacts; Internet artifacts; and automating analysis and extending capabilities. The book lends itself to use by students and those entering the field who do not have means to purchase new tools for different investigations. This book will appeal to forensic practitioners from areas including incident response teams and computer forensic investigators; forensic technicians from legal, audit, and consulting firms; and law enforcement agencies. Written by world-renowned forensic practitioners Details core concepts and techniques of forensic file system analysis Covers analysis of artifacts from the Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems