What is Cyber Forensics?

Cyber Forensics, also known as computer forensics, is the science of collecting, preserving, examining, analyzing, and presenting digital evidence as part of a court case. It is a form of evidence-based investigation, usually conducted to uncover or establish facts about information stored and transmitted digitally.

Uses of Cyber Forensics

Cyber Forensics can be used to investigate and prove the existence of a crime, detect insider fraud, investigate intellectual property theft or infringement, and uncover other offenses. It is also used to identify cyber criminals and trace their activities. In addition to criminal investigations, cyber forensics can help identify security breaches that lead to data and system loss as well as identify and protect data integrity.

Methods of Cyber Forensics

The process of cyber forensics involves locating, examining, securing, and validating the digital evidence. This process usually involves the use of specialized software and hardware tools. These tools help the investigator analyze the evidence, recover deleted or hidden data, and prevent tampering or destruction of data.

Data Acquisition

The first step in cyber forensics is data acquisition. This involves making exact copies of digital evidence from the source media, such as hard disks, floppies, DVDs, CDs, laptops, and other storage media. During data acquisition, the investigator makes sure that the evidence is not tampered with or altered in any way.

Data Analysis

Once the data has been acquired, the investigator can begin the process of analyzing the evidence. Depending on the type of case, the analysis may include recovering deleted files, scanning for malware, examining document metadata, and searching for keywords. The analysis can also be used to identify a suspect’s patterns of behavior or interaction with other individuals.

Reporting and Presentation

Once the evidence has been analyzed, the investigator can prepare a formal report for legal action or presentation in court. This report must be detailed and comprehensive and must cover all the relevant facts. It must also be backed by logical explanations, evidence comparison, and visual proof. This report will then be used by lawyers and law enforcement agencies for legal action.