Real Digital Forensics: Computer Security and Incident Response [With DVD]

This is a book and DVD set providing an interactive experience that helps readers master the tools and techniques of forensic analysis by investigating real cases. Offers practical hands-on approach to solving problems encountered when performing computer-related investigations. It's authors are well known and well respected in the industry, speak widely, and teach forensics classes. The motto of this book and DVD set is learn by doing. Many people understand the basics of computer forensics and incident response, but lack the necessary skills and direct experience to tackle a case on their own. Organized around case studies, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to the methods, techniques, and tools of forensic investigations through direct contact with real cases. All of the material is introduced within the context of a complete forensic investigation, and the book's companion DVD allows readers to immediately test their skills by working with real data.

You can't succeed in the field of computer forensics without hands-on practice―and you can't get hands-on practice without real forensic data. The solution: Real Digital Forensics. In this book, a team of world-class computer forensics experts walks you through six detailed, highly realistic investigations and provides a DVD with all the data you need to follow along and practice.

From binary memory dumps to log files, this DVD's intrusion data was generated by attacking live systems using the same tools and methods real-world attackers use. The evidence was then captured and analyzed using the same tools the authors employ in their own investigations. This book relies heavily on open source tools, so you can perform virtually every task without investing in any commercial software.

You'll investigate environments ranging from financial institutions to software companies and crimes ranging from intellectual property theft to SEC violations. As you move step by step through each investigation, you'll discover practical techniques for overcoming the challenges forensics professionals face most often.

Inside, you will find in-depth information on the following areas:

• Responding to live incidents in both Windows and Unix environments

• Determining whether an attack has actually occurred

• Assembling a toolkit you can take to the scene of a computer-related crime

• Analyzing volatile data, nonvolatile data, and files of unknown origin

• Safely performing and documenting forensic duplications

• Collecting and analyzing network-based evidence in Windows and Unix environments

• Reconstructing Web browsing, e-mail activity, and Windows Registry changes

• Tracing domain name ownership and the source of e-mails

• Duplicating and analyzing the contents of PDAs and flash memory devices

The accompanying DVD contains several gigabytes of compressed data generated from actual intrusions. This data mirrors what analysts might find in real investigations and allows the reader to learn about forensic investigations in a realisticsetting.

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