## 🧪 **UNDERSTANDING COMPUTER FORENSICS**
Includes definitions, diagrams, and flowcharts to make your **cybersecurity exam prep complete
and self-contained**.
---
## 🧷 UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING COMPUTER FORENSICS
---
### 🧾 **1. Introduction**
**Computer Forensics** is a branch of digital forensic science that deals with **identifying,
preserving, analyzing, and presenting digital evidence** in a legally acceptable way.
#### Key Objectives:
* **Investigate digital crimes**
* **Recover deleted or hidden data**
* **Present evidence in court**
---
### 🔬 **2. Digital Forensics Science**
**Digital Forensics Science** involves applying **scientific methods and tools** to extract digital
evidence.
#### Domains:
* **Computer Forensics**
* **Network Forensics**
* **Mobile Forensics**
* **Cloud Forensics**
#### Diagram: Scope of Digital Forensics
```plaintext
[Digital Forensics Science]
/ | \ \
Computer Mobile Network Cloud
```
---
### 📌 **3. The Need for Computer Forensics**
#### Why it's important:
* Investigate **cybercrimes** (e.g., hacking, data theft)
* Enforce **corporate policy violations**
* Help in **civil/criminal litigation**
* Ensure **regulatory compliance** (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.)
#### Examples of Use:
* Tracing fraud emails
* Recovering files after deletion
* Identifying insider threats
---
### 🕵️♂️ **4. Cyber Forensics and Digital Evidence**
* **Cyber Forensics:** Application of forensic methods to cybercrime investigation.
* **Digital Evidence:** Any data stored/transmitted using digital devices that can support or
refute a legal claim.
#### Types of Digital Evidence:
| Type | Example |
| -------- | ------------------------- |
| Document | Word, PDF, emails |
| Logs | Firewall, system logs |
| Media | Images, videos |
| Metadata | File timestamps, GPS info |
---
### 📧 **5. Forensics Analysis of E-Mail**
E-mails are often used in frauds, scams, phishing, etc.
#### Steps in Email Forensics:
1. **Header Analysis** – Identify sender's IP, server info
2. **Server Logs** – Track email transmission
3. **Keyword Search** – Look for suspicious words
4. **Attachment Analysis** – Detect malware or hidden data
#### Diagram: Email Forensics Process
```plaintext
[Email Header] --> [Extract IP, Timestamps]
↓
[Analyze Body, Attachments] --> [Recover Metadata]
```
---
### 🔁 **6. Digital Forensics Life Cycle**
This life cycle outlines the complete process of a forensic investigation.
#### Stages:
1. **Identification** – Locate evidence
2. **Preservation** – Secure data from alteration
3. **Collection** – Acquire data systematically
4. **Examination** – Analyze the content
5. **Analysis** – Interpret the findings
6. **Presentation** – Report in legal format
#### Flowchart: Digital Forensics Life Cycle
```plaintext
[Identification] → [Preservation] → [Collection]
↓ ↓ ↓
[Examination] → [Analysis] → [Presentation]
```
---
### 🔗 **7. Chain of Custody Concept**
**Chain of Custody** is a documented trail that shows **who collected, handled, transferred,
and analyzed** digital evidence.
#### Importance:
* Maintains **integrity** of evidence
* Ensures **admissibility** in court
* Tracks **evidence movement**
#### Diagram: Chain of Custody
```plaintext
[Evidence Collected] → [Logged & Tagged] → [Transferred]
↓ ↓
[Stored Securely] ← [Access Logged by Investigator]
```
---
### 🌐 **8. Network Forensics**
**Network Forensics** is the monitoring and analysis of network traffic for **evidence
collection**.
#### Key Activities:
* **Packet capturing**
* **Analyzing logs**
* **Detecting anomalies**
* **Tracing cyber-attacks**
#### Tools: Wireshark, tcpdump, Splunk
#### Flow:
```plaintext
[Capture Packets] → [Analyze Headers & Payloads] → [Reconstruct Events]
```
---
### 🖥️ **9. Approaching a Computer Forensics Investigation**
#### Step-by-Step Process:
1. **Pre-Investigation Planning**
2. **Seize Digital Devices Legally**
3. **Preserve Evidence (imaging, hashing)**
4. **Analyze Systems (OS, files, logs)**
5. **Document Everything**
6. **Generate Investigation Report**
7. **Present Findings in Court**
#### Flowchart:
```plaintext
[Planning] → [Seizure] → [Preservation] → [Analysis]
↓ ↓
[Reporting] ← [Documentation] ← [Presentation]
```
---
## 🤳 **FORENSICS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES**
---
### 📡 **1. Security/Privacy Threats in Social Media**
| Threat | Description |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| **Identity Theft** | Fake profiles impersonating users |
| **Phishing Links** | Shared via DMs, comments |
| **Data Leakage** | Oversharing personal details |
| **Geotagging** | Location info can be misused |
| **Malicious Ads/Links** | Lead to malware infection |
---
### ⚠️ **2. Challenges in Computer Forensics**
#### Major Challenges:
| Challenge | Impact |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Encryption** | Hard to access data without keys |
| **Data Volume** | Too much data to process |
| **Anti-forensics** | Tools that hide or destroy evidence |
| **Cloud Storage** | Jurisdiction and accessibility issues |
| **Lack of Standards** | Inconsistent forensic procedures |
| **Rapid Tech Changes** | Tools may become obsolete quickly |
---
## 🧠 **Summary Table**
| Concept | Summary |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Digital Forensics | Scientific approach to digital crime |
| Email Forensics | Analyze headers, metadata, attachments |
| Chain of Custody | Legal evidence handling trail |
| Forensics Life Cycle | Identification → Preservation → Analysis → Report |
| Social Media Threats | Identity theft, phishing, data leakage |
| Challenges | Encryption, cloud storage, data overload |
---
