Investigation is done to reveal the truth. Crime investigators and cyber investigators are using digital investigation processes to collect evidence. Whenever anyone commits a crime, he leaves one or the other evidence which can be visible or invisible. To collect that evidence, cyber security investigators are using digital forensic tools and techniques that give more information about the physical evidence and gather information online.
Digital forensic tools are used to process and analyze the evidence that was collected at the crime spot. In this article, the digital forensic investigation process model in cybersecurity is explained in detail. The article also explains the types and differences between digital forensics and computer forensics, challenges and highlights its practical importance with a real-world case study.
Table of Contents
1. What is Digital Forensic Investigation?
Digital forensics helps crime investigators acquire evidence from digital devices like computers, hard drives, networks, servers, mobile phones, or any other device that is connected to these devices. The investigators follow a sequence of steps to find the evidence. Evidence is not enough, but correct evidences are required to punish the culprit.
For this, investigators first collect the evidence, analyze it, interpret it, and report if the evidence is true or not. Using digital forensics, investigators check all the emails, sms, deleted files, images, and other things from the digital devices. The digital forensics tools are used to reduce the crimes and solve the cases quickly.
Today, attacks on organizations are happening every day, compromising one or the other confidential information. Cyber attacks like phishing, spear phishing, Vishing, ransomware, and others are executed by cyber criminals over the network. The attacker targets the victim by gathering his personal and professional information from social media and other sites.
When an attack occurs, organizations seek the help of digital investigators, who check all the systems and networks in the organization and try to gather information about the root cause of the attack. They use system and network forensic tools to collect the information, block the attack, and secure the organization’s systems and networks.
2. Types Of Digital Forensics
Digital forensics is a broad discipline encompassing various specialized subfields:
- Computer Forensics: Focuses on desktop and laptop systems. Investigators analyze file systems, operating systems, malware, and user activities to uncover evidence.
- Mobile Forensics: Centres on smartphones and tablets. This involves recovering deleted messages, call logs, and GPS data.
- Network Forensics: Investigate data transmitted over networks. It’s essential in analyzing cybersecurity breaches and tracking unauthorized access.
- Cloud Forensics: Deals with cloud-based services like AWS and Google Drive. Challenges include ensuring data integrity and addressing jurisdictional issues.
- Database Forensics: Examines database systems to trace unauthorized modifications or identify data breaches.
- IoT Forensics: Targets Internet of Things devices like smart speakers, wearables, and connected appliances. This emerging field is critical due to the increasing adoption of IoT.
2.1. Difference Between Computer Forensics And Digital Forensics
Many confuse computer forensics with digital forensics, though they have distinct scopes.
- Computer Forensics: Focuses specifically on computers, including desktops and laptops. It’s a subset of digital forensics that deals with file recovery, malware analysis, and operating system forensics.
- Digital Forensics: Broader in scope, encompassing any digital device—smartphones, IoT devices, cloud storage, and networks. It integrates subfields like mobile forensics, network forensics, and cloud forensics.
3. Six Phases Of Digital Forensic Investigation Process Model
There are different types of crime happening around the world, and the digital investigation process also varies according to different factors like the type of crime, the communication device used by the criminal, and types of investigation like criminal investigation, civil, military, commercial, and others.
Every investigation process is different and unique, and the investigators face many challenges during the investigation process. The basic process model of digital investigation consists of identification, preservation, analysis, and presentation of the digital evidence. Enhanced Digital Investigation Process Model (EIDIP) is commonly used as a reference model in digital investigation.
3.1. Preparation:
The digital investigation team, when informed about the crime, should not accept it unless their executive levels decide to take the case. They need to first gather all the physical evidence and information from the people present near the crime scene and then create a plan to solve the case. They need to analyze the case and gather all the required tools, resources, and materials for solving the case.
3.2. Identification or Surveying:
Today, crimes are done using digital tools. Crime investigators are required to find digital evidence by checking the system and network of the organization or the victim to get information about the crime. They need to collect digital and physical evidence at the crime spot, such as electronic devices, blood samples, fingerprints on the devices, foot strains, clothes, data cards, and other evidence.
Evidence must be brought to the investigation lab to test and analyze them. In case of an organizational threat, the investigators must collect the data from the systems on which the attack is executed, the log files, the RAM data, and other accounts must be checked, and all the evidence must be recorded in the pen drive. The investigators must communicate with the employees and higher management to know about their rivals.
3.3. Preservation:
All the evidence collected in the above stage must be preserved and secured from any modifications because this evidence must be presented in court. The digital evidence must be preserved by storing it in the CD or tape for further analysis. All this evidence must be protected from outsiders or culprits. The device in which the evidence is stored must be set to read-only to ensure evidence is not contaminated by any unauthorized person. For preserving the pieces of evidence, techniques like imaging, chain of custody, time synchronization, and case management must be used.
3.4. Examination and analysis:
In this stage, collected evidence is examined using different digital forensic tools to get more insights into the collected evidence. For examining the evidence, techniques like filtering, data carving, recovery techniques, pattern matching, hidden data extraction techniques, validation, and other techniques are used. For analyzing the evidence, techniques like data mining, tractability, linking, statistical analysis, and others are used.
3.5. Presentation:
All the collected and analyzed pieces of evidence are documented and submitted to the court for justice. The hash files of the evidence must be generated; all the details of potential witnesses and the process used in solving the case must be recorded. For presentation purposes, expert testimony, clarification, mission impact statements, and recommendations must be documented in the case report.
3.6. Review:
After the investigation concludes, the process is reviewed for improvements, ensuring future cases are handled more effectively.
Depending on the crime, the digital investigation process model will have some limitations. The investigation can be done on either a criminal or civil case. The difference is the investigators must obtain a warrant in criminal cases before seizing all the systems and searching the personal space of the culprit.
4. Key Challenges In Digital Forensics
The field faces unique challenges:
- Data Volume: Modern devices store terabytes of data, making it daunting to sift through irrelevant information.
- Encryption: While protecting user privacy, encryption also complicates evidence recovery.
- Anti-Forensic Techniques: Cybercriminals employ methods like data obfuscation or fake timestamps to mislead investigators
- Evolving Technologies: Rapid changes in technology necessitate constant adaptation in forensic tools and techniques.
- Legal and Ethical Concerns: Handling cross-jurisdictional cases and respecting privacy rights require meticulous attention
5. A Recent Case Study: The Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack
On May 7, 2021, a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline disrupted fuel supplies across the U.S., revealing the vulnerabilities of our interconnected systems. The event led to long fuel lines and public panic, highlighting the critical need for stronger cybersecurity measures. In this attack, around 100 GB of data was stolen, pipelines were shut down, and the government paid a $45 million ransom to retrieve the data and restore the pipeline.
Investigators used digital forensic tools to solve the case. They captured all the network logs and malware samples and studied the ransomware behaviour to identify the vulnerabilities in the pipeline. They also recovered half of the ransom using blockchain forensics. Some of the initiatives taken by the US government are
- StopRansomware.gov website was created to provide alerts and guidance to businesses and individuals on cybersecurity.
- The Joint Ransomware Task Force, a response team created with the FBI, coordinates the government’s actions against ransomware.
- Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) was established to share real-time information on cyber threats among government, industries, and private sectors.
6. Conclusion
Digital forensic investigation is an evolving discipline shaped by the rapid pace of technology. The digital investigation structured model ensures accuracy, reliability, and efficiency in solving cybersecurity threats and civil cases. The real-time case study of the Colonial Pipeline attack shows the impact and importance of digital forensics.
However, Attacks and threats to data and resources are common and will increase in future. It is the responsibility of businesses and individuals to take steps to prevent risks. CEOs and boards must view cybersecurity as a strategic imperative, new technologies must prioritize security, and awareness programs must be conducted within organizations and communities. Whether you’re a professional in the field or simply curious, understanding these processes is a step towards appreciating the intricacies of digital justice.