Cyber Forensics 101 – Everything Important That You Need To Know

Introduction 

If you are not from a software engineering or even technical background then there is a high chance that you have no clue whatsoever about cyber forensics and the various fields where it comes into play. If you wish to get a better idea about everything related to it then this article on cyber forensics would prove to be just what you need.

1. What is Cyber Forensics?
2. Need for Cyber Forensics
3. Processes involved in Cyber Forensics
4. Skills necessary to learn Cyber Forensics
5. Cyber Forensics As A Career
6. What is Data Breach?

1) What Is Cyber Forensics?

Cyber forensics in the simplest words means investigating, gathering, and analyzing information from a computer device which can then be transformed into hardware proof to be presented in the court regarding the crime in question. A very important aspect of the investigation is making a digital copy of the storage cell of the computer and further analyzing it so that the device itself doesn’t get violated accidentally during the whole process.

The aim is to only find malware in the software part of the device and leave the actual component of it on one side. While studying the entry and exit points of the device’s storage, one can easily and efficiently learn about the individuals who accessed the device and the circumstances under which the logs were made which in turn gives a crystal-clear picture of what happened and at what date and time. Cyber forensics is an unavoidable force that is extremely significant in today’s everchanging, evolving, and technologically transforming world.

2) Need For Cyber Forensics

The need for cyber forensics is simple yet of utmost importance. It finds its application mainly in fighting vicious online crimes like hacking and DOS – denial of service attacks. The above-mentioned proof that gives the upper hand to the investigators in any crime scene even remotely involving a computer device can be in the form of browsing history, email logs, or any other digital footprint of the criminal.

3) Processes Involved In Cyber Forensics

Cyber forensics follows a very systematic approach and sorts out data in a point wise fashion.

• Taking a digital copy of the system under investigation – this process involves creating a replica of the data of the device to prevent any harm being done to the actual system which could result in mixing up of files or even losing important data.
• Verifying and authentication the digital copy – after the above-mentioned process is complete, investigators try and verify each part of the system to be sure that the copied data is true and exactly as it exists in the original device.
• Ensuring the copied data is forensically appropriate – sometimes while copying data from a device, it is possible to change the format of the data which results in differences in the operating systems of the investigators and the one from where the data has been copied. to prevent this from happening, investigators make sure that the format remains exactly the same and the data is forensically sound.
• Recovering deleted files – criminal minds think of every way to erase their footprint of the crime scene and in this case, they often delete some files which might hint at their involvement in the crime so it becomes an added task for the investigators to retrieve and recover deleted files which are done by using very advanced software.
• Searching for required data using keywords – investigators use certain high-speed software to retrieve information that is relevant to the case at hand by making use of keywords that find a place in the case holding.
• Creating a technical report – the final step is to create a technical report that is to the point and most importantly easy to understand irrespective of the person’s background. The outcome of this report is to clearly state the offense, the potential criminals, and those who are innocent. 

4) Skills Necessary To Learn Forensics

• Technical aptitude – knowledge of various technologies and network hacks is essential
• Attention to detail – cyber forensics is all about finding the small details to be able to connect the dots and form larger, concrete proof
• Knowledge about law and criminal investigation 
• Fairly neat communication skills – it is important for the investigator to be able to deal with people while reciting the gathered proof, be it in office or court
• Being aware of cybersecurity basics- since cybersecurity and cyber forensics are such closely knit fields and one is incomplete without the other, a strong foundation of cybersecurity would only help an investigator in performing his job with more precision.
• Analytical skills – the ability to analyze and form a clear understanding of the data is a key aspect of becoming a cyber forensic investigator.
• Urge to learn and enhance their field of working 
• Facing every challenge with enthusiasm and optimism

5) Cyber Forensics As A Career

The future of the IT industry lies in cyber forensics. With the rapid increase in our dependency on technology and increase in cybercrimes, this field had an unlimited scope and the sky’s the limit.

6) What Is Data Breach?

It is the process in which an unauthorized person violates the privacy of a software system and seeks illegal access into its logs resulting insensitive or private information getting leaked. There is a wide array of reasons or incentives that might trigger someone to do this but either way, the outcome is never sweet.

A data breach is also performed in various stages such as research – finding a weak point in the system for easier entry into the device, attack – making initial contact with the device (can be friendly too),  network/social attack – the former means attacking a group of people or a common system and the latter is gaining the trust of an individual to surpass the security locks and gain sensitive information and lastly ex-filtration – sorting out private information and using it against the institution or individual.

As long as there is the circulation of information there will be security breaches and there will always be the need for cyber forensics. The significance is only going to grow in the coming times.

After reading this article we hope you have a better understanding of cyber forensics and what its usage is in the modern world.

So, have you made up your mind to make a career in Cyber Security? Visit our Master Certificate in Cyber Security (Red Team) for further help. It is the first program in offensive technologies in India and allows learners to practice in a real-time simulated ecosystem, that will give you an edge in this competitive world.

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