Second Step to Forensic Readiness_ Types and Sources of Digital Evidence

1. Second Step to Forensic Readiness: Types and Sources of Digital Evidence Introduction Once you are done with the risk assessment of all your business operations, it is time to proceed to the next step of the forensic readiness plan which is recognizing all sources and types of digital evidence in your company. The first thing you should do is analyze all your organizational procedures and determine sources of potential evidence along with observing how the generated evidence is stored and managed. Making brief notes about storing and managing is enough at this stage as in the following steps, you will have to dive deeper into the matter. As with every corporation, there are perhaps many possible sources of digital evidence existing in your business operations. This is why the objective of this step is to recognize them all across your organization and start defining the scope. Although all this may sound a little intimidating, we, at Elijah, are here to help. In this blog, we will shed some light on the second step to digital forensic readiness. What Is Digital Forensics? Digital forensics is basically an area that is still evolving. It can be described as the use of information systems and computer knowledge, brought together with legal knowledge to analyze in a legally acceptable way digital evidence obtained, processed, and stored in a manner that is legally right. It is primarily used for investigations that are regulated toward legal or law enforcement cases that may end up in court. Digital evidence is highly elusive and can be lost or distorted easily. Therefore, it has to be preserved and handled in a way that will ensure that it is

2. not, and does not appear to be destroyed or distorted. Nevertheless, digital forensic tools can be used to retrieve lost files and for internal administrative purposes like monitoring or investigating abuse. Basically, it can be used to trace and investigate what may have happened or resulted in an incident, to recover lost data, and to gather evidence for use by a corporation against an entity or individual or to defend the organization. A corporation can carry out digital investigations on its own wherein evidence is not going to wind up in court, like for employee monitoring. A case like this may not require managing the evidence in a legally acceptable way but there is a possibility that such investigations can open a can of worms. What required legal action may be uncovered. In such cases, evidence being presented in court has to be gathered and documented in a legally acceptable way for admissibility. Digital forensics can also be used for audit investigations and can come in quite handy when investigating fraud. Auditors use forensic techniques to keep an eye on compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements. For instance, digital forensics can help trace unauthorized internet access by employees, vulnerabilities and loopholes in the network, and malware occurrences such as intrusions and attacks can be analyzed to establish how the breach occurred in order to prevent future attacks. When you have a forensic readiness plan, it can go a long way toward assuming such investigations and discovery therein can be managed and presented so that the corporation does not lose the case. What Do We Mean By Forensic Readiness?

3. Forensic readiness is described as the obtainment of an appropriate level of capability by a corporation for it to be able to gather, preserve, analyze, and protect digital evidence so that this evidence can be used in any legal matters, disciplinary matters, in an employment tribunal, or court of law. It is also described as the ability of a corporation to maximize its potential to use digital evidence while reducing the cost of an investigation. During the course of operations, corporations produce a lot of digital records and data. Such records and data can become vital pieces of evidence in the event of an unexpected incident. Parts of this digital evidence are stored and preserved as part of business continuity processes and disaster recovery and document-retention policies. These can be in the form of backup files. Monitoring records also comprise part of digital evidence. There are still other types of digital evidence that may not be taken seriously and may be required only in the event of an occurrence, which may not be available right away when an investigation becomes essential. Such evidence can be in the form of casual communication like social networking messages, emails, and activities that took place at workstations and mobile devices. It is not easy to foresee when digital evidence may become essential, in addition, the use could only be for internal purposes, and legal or regulatory requirements. Forensic readiness allows organizations to streamline their activities so that retrieving the evidence becomes easy with fewer hassles. Here is a list of scenarios where digital evidence can become essential: ●Allegations of employee misconduct ●Disputed transactions ●Avoidance of negligence and breach-of-contract charges

4. ●Showing regulatory and legal compliance ●Meeting disclosure requirements ●Assisting law enforcement investigations ●Supporting insurance claims when a loss takes place Different Types Of Digital Evidence Digital evidence can be any type of digital file from an electronic source. This comprises text messages, emails, files and documents retrieved from hard drives, instant messages, audio files, financial transactions, and video files. Following are some possible sources of digital evidence: ●Monitoring software like Intrusion Detection Software, keyboard loggers, packet sniffers, and content checkers ●Equipment like firewalls, routers, servers, portable devices, client devices, and embedded devices ●General logs like printer logs, access logs, internet traffic database transactions, internal network logs, and commercial transactions ●Application software like ERP packages for employee records and activities and accounting packages for evidence of fraud ●Archives and back-ups, for instance, desktops and laptops ●Other sources like door access records, CCTV, PABX data, phone logs, call center logs, network logs, monitored phone calls, and recorded messages

5. Bottom Line A forensic readiness plan is for preparing a corporation for an event that cannot be predicted. In preparation, a corporation should analyze and review security- policies, technical controls, skill sets, and procedures. This can take place by a skilled forensic investigator if you hire digital forensic services. The investigation can recommend proper amendments and action that is to be taken to improve upon what is in place and make sure of a good forensic readiness plan. Now that you know all about forensic readiness and how essential it is for your organization, it is time to hire the best digital forensic services. At Elijah, we offer the best digital forensic services in Chicago and our team is at your service when you need a forensic readiness plan. So, get in touch with us today and get assistance from the best digital forensic investigators in Chicago.