Identify at least two assets that are relevant for the investigation, and explain which areas of those assets should be searched for evidence.

Digital Forensic Investigation Exploration

Overview

When you are completing digital forensic investigations, it is important to take a systems thinking approach in order to plan for every step. The adversarial mindset integrates with your investigative process to help you think outside of the traditional methods used to track data. This will give you a balanced and robust skill set during the investigation. Thinking as the investigator and the adversary allows you to consider areas where the adversary might hide or try to circumvent the process of discovery.

For this assignment, you put yourself in the role of a cybersecurity analyst engaged in a training exercise in your workplace. You will be focused on identifying assets, looking at tools, and securing potential evidence via chain of custody. Later, in Project Two, you will further apply these skills.

Prompt

After reading the article, “‘Iceman’ Pleads Guilty to Massive Computer Hacking,” linked in the Module Five Reading and Resources section of your course, address the following critical elements:

Case Study Analysis

Identify at least two assets that are relevant for the investigation, and explain which areas of those assets should be searched for evidence.

Based on the assets you identified, describe which digital forensic hardware and software tools you would need to use to collect evidence. Justify your selection.

Explain the procedures you would use to maintain chain of custody for the collected evidence.

Proactive Approaches

Explain why a systems thinking mindset is important when performing these investigations.

Explain why it is essential to maintain data integrity during a digital forensic investigation for both court cases and non-court cases.

Explain the concept of chain of custody and why it is important for collected evidence.

What to Submit

Your submission should be 2 to 3 pages in length. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Any references should be cited according to APA style. Use a file name that includes the course code, the assignment title, and your name—for example, CYB_123_Assignment_Firstname_Lastname.docx.

Project Two Stepping Stone Rubric

Requirements: 2 pages