Forensics: Digital Footprints and Evidence

What is Forensics?

Forensics is an applied science that studies methods for investigating crimes related to digital data. It involves searching for, collecting, and analyzing digital evidence, as well as securing and presenting it within the legal systеm. This field is part of criminology and is actively used in cybercrime investigations.

There are numerous books and studies on forensics, but one of the most well-known is “Forensics – Computer Criminalistics”. Despite its age, it remains relevant and widely used by professionals.

Digital Traces and Their Vulnerabilities

Forensics experts deal with analyzing data that can be deleted or forged. Unlike physical evidence, digital evidence has no tangible medium and can be altered without visible traces.

Key Features of Digital Evidence:

• Fragility – digital data can be deleted either accidentally or intentionally.
• Forgery – digital information can be altered without any apparent signs of tampering.
• Indirect Perception – digital evidence cannot be directly observed without specialized tools and software.

To ensure data protection, the principle of integrity is used – information may change formats or storage mediums, but its content must remain unchanged down to the last bit. This is crucial in investigations, as any alteration in the data can render the evidence inadmissible in court.

Manipulation of Evidence and Legal Protection

Forensics is not only about finding evidence but also about detecting attempts to alter or conceal it. However, legal loopholes can be exploited by the accused.

For instance, if evidence has been permanently deleted and cannot be recovered, proving guilt may become difficult. In such cases, the investigation may rely on circumstantial evidence, and psychological pressure on the suspect may be applied instead.

Forensics and Scientific Methods

Forensics relies on classic scientific methods such as observation, analysis, modeling, and experimentation. However, dealing with digital data makes direct observation more complicated due to multiple layers of processing.

Example of Working with Digital Traces

Imagine investigators find a suspicious entry in a server log file. Unlike a physical footprint at a crime scene, which can be seen with the naked eye, digital data goes through multiple intermediaries:

• Hard drive with an internal controller.
• Operating systеm and file systеm.
• Log file viewing software.
• Graphical interface, video card drivers, and fonts.

Each of these elements can alter the displayed information, causing distortions. If someone has created a fake alias in the systеm, even opening a log file with a standard command may yield falsified data.

Forensics and Cryptography

Due to the difficulty of proving the authenticity of digital data, cryptography plays a crucial role. Encryption and digital signatures help protect files from unauthorized modifications and ensure their integrity.

The absence of cryptographic protection makes digital evidence vulnerable. This explains why many cybercrime cases never reach conviction – proving digital evidence requires significant effort, and the probability of errors remains high.

Conclusion

Forensics is a powerful tool in combating cybercrime, but it has its limitations. Digital evidence can be easily destroyed or forged, and verifying its authenticity requires complex technical procedures.

How to Minimize Digital Risks?

• Use encryption and digital signatures.
• Monitor log integrity and access records.
• Understand that every interaction with digital data leaves a trace.

Information security is becoming increasingly critical in today’s world, and forensics is one of the key tools in understanding digital risks.