Digital Forensics

Analysis and
Validation
Overview of Digital Forensics
Analysis
Digital forensics analysis involves the systematic examination of digital devices,
such as computers, smartphones, and storage media, to extract and analyze
relevant information. This process aims to uncover evidence that can be used to
reconstruct events, identify perpetrators, and establish a timeline of activities.
Digital forensics Analysis

Explore the various types of digital evidence commonly encountered in

forensic investigations, such as emails, images, documents, and social
media data.

During the analysis phase, forensic investigators employ various

techniques and tools to extract, preserve, and examine data. This may
involve recovering deleted files, examining system logs, analyzing
network traffic, or decrypting encrypted data. The analysis process aims
to identify artifacts, such as files, documents, emails, chat logs, or
images, that may be relevant to the investigation.
TECHNIQUE OF ANALYSIS IN DIGITAL
EVIDENCE
In digital forensics, analysts use various techniques:

Disk Imaging: Disk imaging involves creating a bit-by-bit copy or

snapshot of a storage device, such as a hard drive or solid-state drive.
This technique ensures the preservation of evidence and allows
investigators to work on the copy without altering the original data. Disk
imaging enables analysts to perform in-depth analysis, recover deleted
files, and uncover hidden or encrypted information.

File Carving: File carving is a technique used to extract files and data
from unallocated or fragmented space on a storage device. When files
are deleted or a storage device is damaged, remnants of the files may
still exist in unallocated space. File carving involves searching for file
signatures or specific patterns within the raw data of a storage device
to identify and extract files.
STEPS IN DIGITAL FORENSICS ANALYSIS

Identification and Preservation and Examination and Analysis: The

Collection: The first Documentation: Once the examination phase involves the
step is to identify and evidence is collected, it use of specialized tools and
collect potential must be properly preserved techniques to extract and
sources of digital and documented to analyze data from the collected
evidence. This maintain its integrity. This devices. This may include
includes seizing involves creating a detailed recovering deleted files,
devices, preserving chain of custody, recording examining internet browsing
their integrity, and relevant metadata, and history, or analyzing
creating forensic taking screenshots or communication logs.
copies to prevent photographs of the
tampering. evidence.
STEPS IN DIGITAL FORENSICS ANALYSIS

Reconstruction and Interpretation: Reporting and Presentation:

After the data is extracted, it needs to Finally, the findings of the analysis
be reconstructed and interpreted to need to be documented in a clear
establish a coherent narrative. This and concise report. This report
may involve reconstructing deleted should include a summary of the
conversations, correlating investigation, the methodology
timestamps, or identifying patterns of used, the evidence collected, and
behavior. the conclusions drawn.
 Challenges in Digital Forensics Analysis

Volume and Variety of Data: Data Preservation: Ensuring the Encryption and Security
Digital evidence can come in integrity and preservation of Measures: Encryption is
large volumes and diverse digital evidence is crucial. commonly used to protect
formats, including emails, Analysts must follow proper sensitive data, making it
documents, images, videos, protocols to prevent data challenging for analyst to
social media posts, and tampering or loss during the access and interpret
more. Analyzing such a vast analysis process. This involves encrypted information.
amount of data requires creating forensic copies, Breaking encryption or
efficient techniques and tools maintaining chain of custody, bypassing security measures
to extract relevant and using specialized tools for requires specialized
information. data preservation. knowledge and tools.
Timeliness: In many cases, digital evidence needs
to be analyzed within strict timelines, such as in
criminal investigations or legal proceedings.
Analysts must work efficiently to meet these
deadlines while ensuring accuracy and
thoroughness in their analysis.
 VALIDATING FORENSIC DATA

One of the most critical aspects of

computer forensics is validating digital
evidence because ensuring the integrity
of data you collect is essential for
presenting evidence in court.
 Hashing: Think of hashing like creating a unique
fingerprint for a file or piece of data. It takes the
content and produces a fixed-size string of
characters (the hash). Any change in the content
will result in a completely different hash.

Hashing generates a unique identifier (hash) for data.

 Checksums: Similar to hashing, checksums
are calculated based on data content. They
generate a smaller value used to check data
integrity. If the data changes, the checksum
will also change, indicating tampering or
corruption.

Example: Let's say you have a sequence of numbers: 5, 7, 2, 8.

Checksum Calculation: 5 + 7 + 2 + 8 = 22.
Result: The checksum for this sequence is 22.
If any number in the sequence changes, the checksum will also
change, indicating that the data has been altered.

Checksums provide a computed value that changes if the data it represents

changes.
Timestamps: These are used to mark the time
when a particular action or event occurred. They're
crucial in establishing the sequence of events and
validating the timeline of actions.

Timestamps record the exact time an action occurs.

Validating with Hexadecimal Editors

Advanced hexadecimal editors offer many features not available in computer forensics
tools, such as hashing specific files or sectors.

When you need to find a particular file—for example, a known contraband image. With
the hash value in hand, you can use a computer forensics tool to search for a suspicious
file that might have had its name changed to look like an innocuous file.

(Recall that two files with exactly the same content have the same hash value, even if
they have different names.) Getting a hash value with a full-featured hexadecimal editor
is much faster and easier than with a computer forensics tool.
 Addressing Data-Hiding Techniques

Data hiding involves changing or manipulating a file to conceal

information. Data-hiding techniques include hiding entire partitions,
changing file extensions, setting file attributes to hidden, bit-shifting,
using encryption, and setting up password protection. Some of these
techniques are discussed in the following sections.
 Digital Footprints

Digital footprints refer to the trails left behind by activities conducted

on digital devices or platforms. Understanding and tracking these
footprints is crucial for piecing together events and validating
findings in investigations.

Reconstructing Events

Digital footprints act like breadcrumbs, helping investigators retrace

and reconstruct the sequence of actions taken on a device or
platform. For instance, examining browsing history, file access logs, or
timestamps on messages helps create a timeline of events.
 Establishing Timelines
By analyzing digital
Corroborating Evidence footprints, investigators
These footprints serve as can establish the order of
evidence, corroborating or actions or events,
supporting claims made enabling them to
during an investigation. understand the sequence
For instance, timestamps of activities, such as when
on emails or logins can a file was created,
confirm or refute an alibi. accessed, modified, or
deleted.
Imagine investigating a cyberbullying incident.
Tracking - Examining the victim's device reveals a timeline of social
media interactions and messages. Timestamps and IP addresses
indicate when and from where the messages were sent.
Validating - Comparing these digital footprints with the accused's
device activity corroborates the victim's claims. Matching timestamps
or IP addresses can establish a connection between the accused and
the cyberbullying incidents, validating the victim's story.
In essence, digital footprints serve as a digital trail, aiding investigators
in reconstructing events, validating claims, and establishing the
sequence of actions, ultimately contributing to a clearer
understanding of the investigated situation.
 Automating Tasks: AI speeds up investigations by
handling repetitive tasks.
Pattern Recognition: Identifies anomalies and suspicious
activities in large datasets.
NLP Capabilities: Analyzes unstructured data like emails
for relevant info.
AI Contribution to
Image/Video Analysis: Detects alterations and helps
Digital Forensics validate evidence.
Behavioral Analysis: Profiles cybercriminals and predicts
threats.
Data Recovery Enhancement: Reconstructs damaged
data for evidence.
 References:

● Mothi, D., Janicke, H., & Wagner, I. (2020). A novel principle to validate
digital forensic models. Forensic Science International: Digital
Investigation, 33, 200904.
● Kumar, S., Pathak, S. K., & Singh, J. (2022). A Comprehensive Study of XSS
Attack and the Digital Forensic Models to Gather the Evidence. ECS
Transactions, 107(1), 7153.
● Azhan, N. A. N., Ikuesan, R. A., Razak, S. A., & Kebande, V. R. (2022). Error Level
Analysis Technique for Identifying JPEG Block Unique Signature for Digital
Forensic Analysis. Electronics, 11(9), 1468.
● Forensics Analysis and Validation
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