Introduction of Digital Forensics and Forensic Process Life Cycle

Digital forensics is a process of recovering and analysing data that has been corrupted, deleted or lost. It helps to identify the cause and impact of computer crime by analysing digital evidence. Digital forensics is an essential aspect of cyber security. It is used to investigate cybercrime and provide information about the motives, methods and tools used in the attack. The digital forensics life cycle stages are acquisition, examination, and storage. Digital forensics helps to create an accurate timeline of events and establish cause-and-effect relationships. The process usually begins with collecting data from a device using specialised techniques, like imaging the hard drive or extracting information from deleted files. Digital evidence is more reliable than other types of evidence because it can be authenticated through metadata or time stamps. As a result, digital forensics can help identify suspects involved in cybercrime and provide clues about the location of a suspect, victim or witness.

Understanding the forensic life cycle is essential because it helps understand how to collect and analyse evidence. The forensic life cycle has five phases: collection, acquisition, analysis, reporting, and preservation. The first phase of the forensic life cycle is the collection. This involves identifying what information needs to be collected and then finding out where this information can be found on a computer system or device. The second phase is an acquisition which includes acquiring digital evidence from the storage media or device that has been identified during the first phase of the forensic life cycle. Finally, the third phase of the forensic life cycle is an analysis which includes examining evidence for its relevance to an investigation or prosecution.

There are many benefits to learning digital forensics. Still, the most obvious one is that it can lead to a fulfilling career in law enforcement or as an information security specialist. Digital forensics specialists can also be found working in IT, telecommunications, and even in private businesses. Digital forensic examiners need a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field. They also need to have at least two years of work experience in IT security or computer forensics. In addition, some jobs may require you to be certified by an industry-specific organisation.