A glance at digital forensic academic research demographics

Whilst the field of digital forensics is now well established, its research community can be considered relatively emerging in comparison to the associated areas of traditional forensic and computer sciences. As a result, this comment article takes a quick look at the demographics of digital forensics research over the last 20 years, with metadata from 6589 articles being extracted and analysed from Scopus in order to provide a brief insight into this field’s research activity.     

增强型计算机取证程序模式的构建

近年来,计算机犯罪呈持续增长势头,但由于缺乏证据证明,只有不到百分之二的此类案件的犯罪分子受到法律制裁,这说明证据获取的关键阶段——计算机取证工作存在漏洞。计算机取证程序是计算机取证的核心,忽略或"交换"任何一个步骤都会影响取证工作的完整性,导致错误结论的产生。同样,不合理或不充分的计算机取证活动将会造成无罪之人蒙冤、有罪之人逍遥法外等恶果。我们分析了现有几种计算机取证程序模式及其所存在的缺陷,并以集中型计算机取证程序模式为基础,提出了一种新型的计算机取证程序模式——增强型计算机侦查取证模式,以期对以计算机取证程序的规范化有所裨益。     

Forensic analysis of smart TV: A current issue and call to arms

A number of new entertainment systems have appeared on the market that have embedded computing capabilities. Smart Televisions have the ability to connect to networks, browse the web, purchase applications and play games. Early versions were based on proprietary operating systems; newer versions released from 2012 are based on existing operating systems such as Linux and Android. The question arises as to what sort of challenges and opportunities they present to the forensics examiner. Are these new platforms or simply new varieties of existing forms of devices? What data do they retain and how easy is it to access this data? This paper explores this as a future forensic need and asks if we are missing potential sources of forensic data and to what degree we are ready to process these systems as part of an investigation.     

Can computer forensic tools be trusted in digital investigations?

This paper investigates whether computer forensic tools (CFTs) can extract complete and credible digital evidence from digital crime scenes in the presence of file system anti-forensic (AF) attacks. The study uses a well-established six stage forensic tool testing methodology based on black-box testing principles to carry out experiments that evaluate four leading CFTs for their potential to combat eleven different file system AF attacks. Results suggest that only a few AF attacks are identified by all the evaluated CFTs, while as most of the attacks considered by the study go unnoticed. These AF attacks exploit basic file system features, can be executed using simple tools, and even attack CFTs to accomplish their task. These results imply that evidences collected by CFTs in digital investigations are not complete and credible in the presence of AF attacks. The study suggests that practitioners and academicians should not absolutely rely on CFTs for evidence extraction from a digital crime scene, highlights the implications of doing so, and makes many recommendations in this regard. The study also points towards immediate and aggressive research efforts that are required in the area of computer forensics to address the pitfalls of CFTs.     

规范我国计算机取证活动的法律思考

我国计算机取证立法滞后:现行《刑法》规定范围过于狭窄,难以满足追诉的法律需要;电子证据定位存在争议,电子证据的证据地位尚未明确;计算机取证规范空白,计算机取证活动"无法可依"。应从以下方面解决我国计算机取证的法律问题:(1)修订现行《刑法》,适当扩大《刑法》第285条规定的客体范围;将《刑法》第286修改为"破坏计算机设备罪"或在"破坏计算机信息系统罪"中增加破坏计算机硬件设施的规定;规定计算机过失犯罪,增设计算机财产犯罪的规定和"滥用计算机信息系统罪";(2)明确电子证据的地位;(3)创设《计算机取证法》,对取证主体、取证程序、电子证据鉴定和取证工具标准等进行规范。     

Covert communication by means of email spam: A challenge for digital investigation

In digital investigations the investigator typically has to deal with thousands of digital artifacts. Among them, email has long been one of the many focuses that potentially can generate useful information. However, in our training we notice a tendency to overlook or downplay the importance of analyzing spam emails as they are generally assumed to be irrelevant junk emails. In this article we thus illustrate how these seemingly irrelevant messages might play a crucial role in digital investigations. Five scenarios are introduced in which the investigator tends to overlook crucial incriminating information that has been disguised as spam. The methods used by criminals in these cases are discussed. In light of these covert criminal communications, we call for more attention from the digital forensics community to realize how email spam may assist in criminal activities.     

A case of tri-allelic pattern at locus D3S1358 on chromosome 3p21 inherited from paternal grandmother

We are reporting a case of tri-allelic inheritance at locus D3S1358 commonly used for genetic identification in forensic DNA testing. This case was encountered during routine paternity testing using commercial DNA profiling kits. The tri-allelic inheritance identified was probably a result of duplication at this locus, supported by the equal peak intensities and inheritance pattern from grandparent to child.     

网络取证系统的技术分析与模型实现

首先分析了网络取证的基本概念，然后介绍了网络取证系统的分析过程，最后提出和设计了一个分布式网络实时取证系统的实现模型。