Writing Assignments

Exercise 3

You work as a forensic investigator. A recent inquiry from a local company called TriGo has caught your attention. On a routine file audit of their servers, TriGo has found some files that appear to be “corrupt” because each file uses the .xde extension. When TriGo personnel try to access the files, they show as “garbage.” Search the Internet for this file extension and summarize your findings.

Write a one-page report detailing your results. Include at least one tool or best practice you would recommend to this client.

Case Study 1: Forensic Tool Selection

Your supervisor has asked you to research current forensic acquisition tools and to compile a list of recommended tools for the new forensics lab. Using the Internet and the tools listed in Chapter 3 as a guideline, create the following:  

1. Create an Excel spreadsheet or an open-source equivalent that specifies vendor name, name of acquisition tool, raw format, validation methods, and overall description of tool. 

2. Create a report to accompany the spreadsheetthat recommends two tools based on your research. Justify your answer.

3. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formattingrequirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Identify the computer forensics investigation process

.• Outline system forensics issues, laws, and skills.

• Use technology and information resources to research advanced issues in computer forensics.

• Write clearly and concisely about topics related to computer forensics planning using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Case Study 2: POS Attacks

Suppose you are a security director for a consulting firm that implements, secures, investigates, and supports point-of-sale (POS) for small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the retail industry.

Read the article titled, “If you shopped at these 16 stores in the last year, your data might have been stolen” located athttps://www.businessinsider.com/data-breaches-2018-4 Choose 2 stores from the list and research the specific attack or breach.

Write a paper in which you:

1. Summarize the attacks, providing details on the effects of the breach. 

2. Identify the common purpose of attacks on point-of-sale (POS) systems.

3. Assess why and how these POS systems have become a prime target for hacking groups.

4. Examine the forensics challenges that exist for investigations on POS systems.

5. Use at least two (2) quality resources in this assignment other than the article linked above. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Outline system forensics issues, laws, and skills.• Describe and analyze practices in obtaining digital evidence.

• Use technology and information resources to research advanced issues in computer forensics.• Write clearly and concisely about topics related to computer forensics planning using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Case Study 3: Apple Vs the FBI

Read the article titled, “The Secret History of the FBI’s Battle Against Apple Reveals the Bureau’s Mistake” located athttp://fortune.com/2018/03/27/fbi-apple-iphone-encryption-san-bernardino/

Write a report in which you discuss:

1. Based on this article or other topic research, explain whether you agree with the FBI or you agree with Apple. Justify your stance with supporting information. 

2. Describe a possible compromise to the solution for future cases that would allow the investigation to continue. 

3. Take a position on whether you believe technology is moving too fast for the judicial system. Suggest at least two improvements that the courts can make in order to catch up and / or keep up with the advancements in technology issues and crimes.

4. Use at least two quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Outline system forensics issues, laws, and skills.

• Compare and contrast the various types of computer forensic tools

.• Use technology and information resources to research advanced issues in computer forensics.

• Write clearly and concisely about topics related to computer forensics planning using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Assignment 1: Email Harassment

Suppose you are an internal investigator for a large software development company. The Human Resources Department has requested you investigate the accusations that one employee has been harassing another over both the corporateExchange email system and Internet-based Google Gmail email.

Prepare a report in you:

1. Create an outline of the steps you would take in examining the email accusations that have been identified.

2. Describe the information that can be discovered in email headers and determine how this information could potentially be used as evidence in the investigation.

3. Analyze differences between forensic analysis on the corporate Exchange system and the Internet-based Google Gmail email system. Use this analysis to determine the challenges that exist for an investigator when analyzing email sent from an Internet-based email system outside of the corporate network.

4. Select one (1) software-based forensic tool for email analysis that you would utilize in this investigation. Describe its use, features, and how it would assist in this scenario.

5. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.

Term Paper: Digital Forensic Cases

You have been asked to conduct research on a past forensic case to analyze how digital data was used to solve the case. Choose one of the following digital forensic cases: 

S. v. Doe (1983), Doe U.S. (1988), People Sanchez (1994),  Michelle Theer (2000), Scott Tyree (2002), Dennis Rader (2005), Corey Beantee Melton (2005), James Kent (2007), Brad Cooper (2008)

Using the Stayer Library or the Internet, search for the case notes and reports for the case and answer the following:

1. Summarize the case, the pertinent actors, evidence, and facts. 

2. Outline the specific digital evidence that was used in the case.

3. Describe how the investigators found and documented the evidence, if any.

4. Describe the procedures and tool(s) used for acquiring potential evidence. 

5. Describe the obstacles faced in the investigation.

6. Outline the most significant improvement to digital forensic investigations/tools that assisted with efficiency and reliability. 

7. Provide the links to two modern tools that could have assisted with the collection of evidence. 

8. Use at least five (5) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources. 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.