Computer Forensics: Incident Response Essentials

Kruse II, Warren; Heiser, Jay

ISBN 10: 0321304535 ISBN 13: 9780321304537

Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 2020

This specific ISBN edition is currently not available.

Every computer crime leaves tracks―you just have to know where to find them. This book shows you how to collect and analyze the digital evidence left behind in a digital crime scene.

Computers have always been susceptible to unwanted intrusions, but as the sophistication of computer technology increases so does the need to anticipate, and safeguard against, a corresponding rise in computer-related criminal activity.

Computer forensics, the newest branch of computer security, focuses on the aftermath of a computer security incident. The goal of computer forensics is to conduct a structured investigation to determine exactly what happened, who was responsible, and to perform the investigation in such a way that the results are useful in a criminal proceeding.

Written by two experts in digital investigation, Computer Forensics provides extensive information on how to handle the computer as evidence. Kruse and Heiser walk the reader through the complete forensics process―from the initial collection of evidence through the final report. Topics include an overview of the forensic relevance of encryption, the examination of digital evidence for clues, and the most effective way to present your evidence and conclusions in court. Unique forensic issues associated with both the Unix and the Windows NT/2000 operating systems are thoroughly covered.

This book provides a detailed methodology for collecting, preserving, and effectively using evidence by addressing the three A's of computer forensics:

Acquire the evidence without altering or damaging the original data.
Authenticate that your recorded evidence is the same as the original seized data.
Analyze the data without modifying the recovered data.

Computer Forensics is written for everyone who is responsible for investigating digital criminal incidents or who may be interested in the techniques that such investigators use. It is equally helpful to those investigating hacked web servers, and those who are investigating the source of illegal pornography.

0201707195B09052001

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Review

Computer security is a crucial aspect of modern information management, and one of the latest buzz words is "incident response"--detecting and reacting to security breaches. Computer Forensics offers information professionals a disciplined approach to implementing a comprehensive incident-response plan, with a focus on being able to detect intruders, discover what damage they did and hopefully find out who they are.

There is little doubt that the authors are serious about cyber investigation. They advise companies to "treat every case like it will end up in court" and although this sounds extreme, it is good advice. Upon detecting a malicious attack on a system, many system administrators react instinctively. This often involves fixing the problem with minimal downtime, then providing the necessary incremental security to protect against an identical attack. The authors warn that this approach often contaminates evidence and makes it difficult to track the perpetrator. This book describes how to maximise system up-time while protecting the integrity of the "crime scene".

The bulk of Computer Forensics details the technical skills required to become an effective electronic sleuth, with an emphasis on providing a well-documented basis for a criminal investigation. The key to success is becoming a "white hat" hacker in order to combat the criminal "black hat" hackers. The message is clear: if you're not smart enough to break into someone else's system, you're probably not smart enough to catch someone breaking into your system. In this vein, the authors use a number of technical examples and encourage the readers to develop expertise of UNIX/Linux and Windows NT fundamentals. They also provide an overview of a number of third-party tools, many of which can be used for both tracking hackers and for probing your own systems.

The authors explain their investigative techniques via a number of real-world anecdotes. It is striking that many of the same hacks detailed in Cliff Stoll's classic The Cuckoo's Egg are still in use over 10 years later--both on the criminal and investigative fronts. It is up to individual companies whether or not to pursue each attempted security violation as a potential criminal case, but Computer Forensics provides a strong argument to consider doing so. --Pete Ostenson