Digital Evidence and Investigation: A Modern Forensics Approach

Description:

In a digital world where evidence is ephemeral and cyber investigations grow increasingly complex, Digital Evidence and Investigation: A Modern Forensics Approach delivers a comprehensive, graduate-level foundation in modern forensic science. Designed for aspiring cybersecurity experts, digital investigators, and forensic analysts, this text methodically navigates the lifecycle of digital evidence collection, analysis, and courtroom presentation across today's multifaceted technology environments. Beginning with the core principles of digital forensics, the book defines the scope, ethical frameworks, and legal standards critical to successful investigations. Students are introduced to the intricacies of evidence identification, acquisition, and preservation, with detailed explorations of hashing, chain of custody, and forensic readiness planning aligned with standards such as NIST SP 800-86 and ISO/IEC 27037.

Building on this foundation, the text dives deep into hardware-based forensics, anti-forensics countermeasures, memory analysis, and network-based investigations. Readers will master forensic techniques for disk imaging, deleted file recovery, metadata analysis, packet capture, log correlation, DNS forensics, and more. Special focus is given to uncovering hidden files, detecting steganography, and analyzing obfuscated or encrypted data. Advanced chapters extend to the unique challenges of mobile device forensics, virtualized and cloud environments, and application and malware analysis. Students will learn hands-on investigative methodologies using industry-standard tools such as FTK Imager, Cellebrite, Magnet AXIOM, Wireshark, Ghidra, and Volatility. Emphasis is placed on real-world case studies, including social media investigations, blockchain forensics, IoT device analysis, and emerging fields like automotive and AI-driven forensics. Practical instruction on reporting, expert witness testimony, and legal considerations ensures that graduates are fully prepared not only to uncover digital evidence but also to present their findings with confidence in court and corporate environments.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive coverage of digital forensic principles, techniques, and legal frameworks.
• Hands-on methodologies for investigating networks, endpoints, cloud platforms, mobile devices, and applications.
• In-depth analysis of anti-forensics tactics, memory acquisition, and encrypted evidence handling.
• Real-world case studies highlighting investigative strategies and lessons learned from modern incidents.
• Exploration of emerging trends in IoT, blockchain, AI-driven forensics, and cloud-native environments.

Ideal For:
Graduate students in cybersecurity and digital forensics programs, incident responders, forensic analysts, security consultants, and IT professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in digital investigations and evidentiary practices.

Walsh College Students: This is the required textbook for IT536: DIGITAL FORENSICS

ISBN-13 979-8-9987646-4-6

Format: E-Book