Learn Computer Forensics: A beginner's guide to searching, analyzing, and securing digital evidence

Get up and running with collecting evidence using forensics best practices to present your findings in judicial or administrative proceedingsKey FeaturesLearn the core techniques of computer forensics to acquire and secure digital evidence skillfullyConduct a digital forensic examination and document the digital evidence collectedAnalyze security systems and overcome complex challenges with a variety of forensic investigationsBook DescriptionA computer forensics investigator must possess a variety of skills, including the ability to answer legal questions, gather and document evidence, and prepare for an investigation. This book will help you get up and running with using digital forensic tools and techniques to investigate cybercrimes successfully. Starting with an overview of forensics and all the open source and commercial tools needed to get the job done, you'll learn core forensic practices for searching databases and analyzing data over networks, personal devices, and web applications. You'll then learn how to acquire valuable information from different places, such as filesystems, e-mails, browser histories, and search queries, and capture data remotely. As you advance, this book will guide you through implementing forensic techniques on multiple platforms, such as Windows, Linux, and macOS, to demonstrate how to recover valuable information as evidence. Finally, you'll get to grips with presenting your findings efficiently in judicial or administrative proceedings. By the end of this book, you'll have developed a clear understanding of how to acquire, analyze, and present digital evidence like a proficient computer forensics investigator.What you will learnUnderstand investigative processes, the rules of evidence, and ethical guidelinesRecognize and document different types of computer hardwareUnderstand the boot process covering BIOS, UEFI, and the boot sequenceValidate forensic hardware and softwareDiscover the locations of common Windows artifactsDocument your findings using technically correct terminologyWho this book is forIf you're an IT beginner, student, or an investigator in the public or private sector this book is for you.This book will also help professionals and investigators who are new to incident response and digital forensics and interested in making a career in the cybersecurity domain.Table of ContentsTypes of Computer-Based InvestigationsThe Forensic Analysis ProcessAcquisition of EvidenceComputer SystemsComputer Investigation ProcessWindows Artifact AnalysisRAM Memory Forensic AnalysisEmail Forensics – Investigation TechniquesInternet ArtifactsReport WritingExpert Witness Ethics Read more