Digital Forensics Investigation
Intelligence Driven Cyber Security Operations
What is Digital Forensics Investigation?
Digital Forensics in the use of scientifically derived and proven methods for the preservation, collection, validation, identification, analysis, integration, documentation and presentation of digital evidence. The evidence from many digital sources such as Wearable techs, mobile devices, hard drives, flash drives, memory sticks and magnetic tapes etc.
Digital Forensics serves as a supporting proof or corroborating evidence often made by prosecutors and defendants to refute a claim that a certain activity was done by a specific person using a piece of digital equipment. The most common use is to recover erased digital evidence to support or disprove a claim in court of law or in civil proceedings such as the discovery process in courts. Forensics is also used during internal corporate investigations or intrusion investigation, which includes additional activities like network and log review.
Certcube Labs has done extensive projects in digital forensics and has a dedicated team for carrying out these various activities. We have co-operated with law enforcement authorities in helping them to get leads in the forensics investigations and also played a vital part in internal corporate investigation for many of our clients. Our work ethics and quality deliverables have won accolades from many of our clients, and their testimonials are the strongest testimony to our professional and quality work deliverables. A representative list of some of the projects we have done are:
- Analysis of dozens of hard drives and correlating them with financial documents to build a water-tight case of tax evasion, FEMA violations, disproportionate assets, etc. against the accused who was arrested on other grave charges. The evidence and reports provided by us enabled regulatory agencies to pursue multiple independent cases against the accused and law enforcement was able to file a 5000-page charge-sheet.
- Analysis of server logs to determine a breach in one of the country’s main telecom firms done by hackers prior to Independence Day. Complete details of the steps taken by the hacker and the malware uploaded onto the servers were provided, along with detailed recommendations on how to ensure such an event doesn’t occur in the future.
- Disk-based analysis to retrieve deleted files, email correspondence and Internet browsing history of the suspect and determine the exact nature of the financial fraud as well as determine the list of accomplices.
- Analysis of smartphones and tablets to retrieve BB Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS communication, empaneled by a multinational bank for all forensic cases in the Asia-Pacific region.
Cyber Defence
HOW IS DIGITAL FORENSICS USED IN AN INVESTIGATION?
Digital footprint is the information about a person on the system, such as the webpages they have visited, when they were active, and what device they were using. By following the digital footprints, the investigator will retrieve the data critical to solving the crime case.
Cyber forensic investigators are experts in investigating encrypted data using various types of software and tools. There are many upcoming techniques that investigators use depending on the type of cybercrime they are dealing with. Cyber investigators’ tasks include recovering deleted files, cracking passwords, and finding the source of the security breach. Once collected, the evidence is then stored and translated to make it presentable before the court of law or for police to examine further. The role of cyber forensics in criminal offenses can be understood with a case study: cold cases and cyber forensics.
Our approach to DIGITAL FORENSICS INVESTIGATION
Initial Consultation
Preservation of Evidence
Evidence Acquisition
Data Recovery and Analysis
Timeline Reconstruction
Data Interpretation
Expert Testimony
Compliance and Chain of Custody
Recommendations and Mitigation
Continuous Support
DIGITAL FORENSICS INVESTIGATION SERVICES
Computer Forensic Investigation
Operating globally, Certcube Labs are the foremost computer forensics provider, assisting clients and law firms directly. Computer forensic investigations involve the extraction and analysis of electronically stored information (ESI) from devices such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and hard drives. The digital evidence recovered from these systems can be crucial to the outcome of corporate legal proceedings.
Our seasoned investigators are experts in the recovery, analysis and reporting of computer data, and adhere to CERT-IN & Cyber Law India guidelines. This ensures that any extracted data is forensically sound and can be used as admissible evidence in court.
Wearable Technology Investigations
By analyzing the data from fitness trackers, investigators can observe the wearer’s activities and routines, providing evidence of changes in physical activities following an accident or proving the claimant’s presence in a different location. The data can also help reconstruct timelines of events. Moreover, as most activity trackers are linked to smartphones, mobile forensics can further corroborate the findings and expose any inconsistencies or fraudulent claims made during the investigation.
Audio & Visual Investigation
Working with the latest audio-visual forensic technology, Certcube Labs provides a comprehensive enhancement service, allowing our experts to work from a variety of media to the highest possible standards.
Mobile Phone Investigation
Adhering to strict forensic methodology and regulatory guidelines, Certcube Labs ensure that any data extracted during a mobile phone investigation is forensically sound and can be used as admissible evidence in legal proceedings.
Employee Misconduct Investigations
Owing to our grounding in serious criminal matters, we are well-placed to document any pornographic activity and categorise this appropriately; including the grading of indecent images should it transpire that they are present on a device. We are also able to provide a stream-lined breakdown of internet activity logs, demonstrating whether pages are seemingly accessed manually by a user, or whether they are pop-ups or suggested pages.
Document Analysis & Authentication
Certcube Labs ‘s Forensic Document Analysis & Authentication service can determine the legitimacy of emails, messages, computer files and electronic documents. With the application of advanced digital forensic techniques and metadata analysis, we can decipher the digital evidence you require for legal proceedings.
Social Media Investigations
The demand for social media investigations is growing, especially in cases requiring admissible evidence in legal matters. Additionally, businesses increasingly require these services for pre-employment screenings and internal investigations involving current or former employees. The purpose is to uncover specific evidence related to potential fraud, data theft, or gross misconduct within the organization.
Forensic Readiness Planning
Certcube Labs recognise that it is essential that you are immediately able to recover in the event of an incident but you also need to be able to investigate what happened and how it happened so that you can eliminate the possibility of any further problems and for compliance purposes. Without implementing a Forensic Readiness Plan you risk losing vital evidence during the recovery process. This potentially means that your systems remain at risk.
Data Preservation & Data Recovery
Certcube Labs understand how important your data is and the wider commercial implications of data recovery, including the savings in cost and business disruption. With the use of advanced digital forensic techniques, our experts can extract and preserve data from all types of digital devices whilst preserving the integrity of the data held on the device. The data acquired can then be used evidentially in court, and if required, further analysis can be undertaken on the data, leading to a court-admissible forensic report of findings.
Senior Leaver - Confidential Information Removal
To address this, Certcube Labs follows a risk management protocol where all company devices provided to the departing executive are preserved and investigated. They employ forensic methods to acquire data from these devices and identify relevant documents that need to be deleted. Once their findings are documented, Certcube Labs permanently removes these files from the devices to prevent any chance of retrieval.
Throughout the process, Certcube Labs maintains a detailed log of the deleted documents, noting the volume and nature of the data removed. If requested, they can provide copies of the relevant files to both parties involved in the matter, allowing the organization to retrieve their data while confirming that the information is no longer accessible on the examined devices.
White-Collar Crime & Regulatory Investigations
We provide tailored solutions and investigations for clients dealing with a full range of circumstances. Our digital forensic team are experts in identifying, preserving, analysing and presenting digital evidence.
Intellectual Property (IP) Theft
Certcube Labs frequently instructed by clients who have had company data stolen by current or former employees. We provide investigations in cases ranging from intellectual property theft, partnership and contract disputes, to whistleblowing matters. The extensive capabilities of our multi-disciplinary team of experts allow us to forensically investigate digital devices such as computers, mobile phones, hard drives and tablets within strict time frames to meet client requirements.
Cell Site Analysis
By combining Cell Site Analysis data with other sources like CCTV footage, call records, or observations, investigators can determine whether the accused was present at a crime scene or confirm an alibi. The analysis can also track the movement of a mobile phone, creating a detailed timeline of its locations.
Certcube Labs’ cell site experts rely on data from mobile phone service providers to create comprehensive coverage maps. These maps show the service areas of individual cell sites using various formats like aerial photography, street maps, and OS ranges.
Expert Witness Service
Certcube Labs investigators are consummate professionals, providing independent and objective reports on whatever case they may handle. If required to support their investigation in a court of law, this professionalism is carried through to any evidence given. All Certcube labs investigators receive regular courtroom training provided by one of the leading companies in the India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you elucidate the complexities involved in packet capture and deep packet inspection techniques, as well as the utilization of network flow analysis to reconstruct cyberattack scenarios and trace malicious activity through network traffic patterns?
Can you explain the intricacies of file system forensics and how it facilitates the reconstruction of file structures, deleted files recovery, and file metadata analysis to establish a comprehensive digital trail in an investigation?
Can you elaborate on the intricacies of mobile device forensics, including the challenges of extracting and analyzing data from encrypted devices, secure messaging applications, and cloud-based storage, to obtain critical evidence in investigations involving mobile devices?
Manufacturers often need to comply with industry-specific standards such as ISO 27001 for information security and IEC 62443 for industrial control systems security.