Benefits of Forensic Readiness in a Company.

Benefits of Forensic Readiness in a Company.

 Digital forensics is a field that deals with investigations of law enforcement that might end up in the court. It uses a computer information system. The digital evidence is volatile. It should be handled and preserved in a manner that will not be distorted.it can be used to gather information. Evidence to be used by an organization against a person also can be used to retrieve lost data.

Forensic readiness achievement is used by an organization to gather, reserve, guard, then analyze any legal matter that uses digital evidence (Collie,2018).  An organization can use records and to be evidence. It should be kept and preserved as part of the disaster retrieval.

Forensic readiness has the following importance:

Preparation of any digital evidence: where any digital proof is required, the judicial retrieves it following the electronic recovery. In which the information requires the electronic evidence to be collected and preserved and obtained when needed. The automated recovery system involves the identification, collection, preservation, processing review, and analyzing the evidence when it is required.

Forensic readiness minimizes the cost of investigations: evidence gathering, as well as disruption of operation, is minimal. The information is already gathered by forensic readiness; the investigator is required to analyze and review the network logs. Makes investigations faster and effective also reduces the adverse of interrupting the employees’ work.

Forensic readiness is used for uncovering more prominent cases such as fraud, blackmail, harassments, and intellectual property robbery. It has filtered systems that trace and help protect from such attacks.

It is used to promote better trade supremacy and also controlling agreement. For example, the theory of forensic readiness shows that the company tops the frequency anticipation and response.

Forensic readiness also proves that a company is a law-abiding corporate citizen. Thus, many customers will invest in the company. Customers prefer dealing with a company that is approved and recognized by the government. Forensic readiness is evidence that the company complies with the laws.

Forensic readiness promotes a sense of belonging among the employees; thus, the worker knows that a forensic readiness plan is monitoring any action taken. Furthermore, it facilitates the maintenance of digital evidence that is stored and retrieved when the employees misbehave in the workplace.

The two vital requirements for forensic readiness in the business sector are: identify incidences that require demand digital evidence. Secondly, draft a firm policy that guarantees maximum security for digital prove.

Mr. Belcamp’s lockers have to be searched because he had threatened to reveal the intellectual property of the business to the competitor company. A master key was to be used to open Belcamp’s locker in his presence because he knew his responsibilities and failed to accomplish them. Secondly, the search is allowed since there is substantial reason for searching, and it is proving that the company had no evil motive against him. The only aim of searching was to protect product X that will help the business perform very well.

The security on the checkpoint is allowed to open Mr. Belcamp’s briefcase. Despite the Fourth Amendment of a constitution that prevents individuals from unreasonable searches and seizure from the government, because the company is a private entity, it allows a search of its employees for a valid reason. Also, he knew the routine checkup by the security officer from his previous experience, so the checkup at this point was allowed.

Mr. Belcamp not signing the receipt page book matters a lot because the signature would show to what extent was the search and seizures were to be conducted. (Karume, 2017) The handbook is essential as it contains the company’s policies, work procedures, outlined the cultures of the company, and the benefits entitled to employees if they abide by the laws. The handbook ensures that employees are productive and reduces conflict between the worker and the employers.

Involving police in the search, they will have to analyze every single element of the case. It will take more time to solve the case due to lengthy procedures and many considerations. The process of investigation will be slow. The police will lead to a loss of authority because they will establish their investigative rules and procedure to follow. The evidence that has taken the company time to assemble will be distorted because the police will not be convinced easily that the proofs were acquired legally.

Chain custody refers to a form that is detailed and contains preserved records and evidence in investigating a case. It acknowledges the people who composed and organized for the evidence when the investigation was done.

The importance of the chain of custody includes: it preserves the evidence that is used during the investigation. It ensures that the evidence is out of reach to illogical persons that might distort the evidence. It will also enable the company to affirm that it was right to dismiss Mr. Belcamp and also protect the company when Mr. Belcamp tries to sue them.

When chain custody is not documented, the essential proof gathered will be useless. (O’Donnell, 2019) The expenses the company incurred when gathering information will be unnecessary. Thus a company must document and ensures that the chain of custody is upheld and established.

A list of people to be interviewed include: Ms. Evelyn Bass to give any information about how he conducted his work because she was under his supervision.

Ms. Victoria to give any other information apart from the thumb drive. Information about where Mr. Belcamp stays, for the police to search.

The hiring manager, it is done by using a phone. During an interview, the settings are one of the strategies to consider success. Before phone interview, eliminate a disruptive environment to make calls, use a reliable clear and sounding phone, have a notebook, and a pen for taking note. During the call, do not use a speakerphone, one he required to speak loudly and slowly, conclude the request with an expression of interest.

The importance of setting the interview include (Fontana,2016) help select the right people for the meeting, the employer can collect the complete information about the job seeking. Discussion helps the interviewer to obtain full details about the candidate as the application form may not contain all of them.

The digital and non-digital items to be collected to the laboratory:

Digital evidence includes the flash drive, two hard disk, second flash in his laptop. The information contained in the four discs might have been used to transfer essential data such as passwords, encryption keys, source code of the software, and employees’ personal information. The flash-enabled the data to be transferred to other devices. The digital evidence should be kept away from magnetic fields.

Non-digital items include the folder on the top of the shelf of the disk, the screwdriver the sticky notebook on the underside of the computer monitor. The hard disk drive would be used to remove the hard drive from the computer, and the diary might have some notes.

Other places for search include his phone and laptop to see any photographs. Police place of search his Mr. Belcamp’s house, including the bedroom, to check any stored digital and non-digital evidence like files and books.     A hash value is a specific length used in the calculation of the hash algorithm. It is used in digital forensic to calculate and verify data that has not been altered.

Daubert standard tools;

Tools                          manufacturer                       Capabilities

Encase                          Guidance software          provides a framework to conduct investigation

Forensic toolkit              Access data                  used to examine electronic media

Sleuth kit                       window-based                  help to analyze disk images

Expert witness helps one to prepare for a trial, also reviewing evidence, interview the witnesses, and understands the importance of the electronic device. The simple witness cannot give options while the expert witness gives options. An expert witness is qualified, but the simple witness does not have.

When taking the thumb drive, take a photograph by using personal protective gloves, place the disk in the faraday bag, seal the bag with corresponding evidence number label.

References

Collie, J. (2018). A Strategic Model for Forensic Readiness. Athens Journal of Sciences, 5(2), 167-182.

Karie, N., M., & Karume, S. M. (2017) Digital forensic readiness in organizations: Issues and challenges, Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law, 12(4), 43-51. DOI:https://doi.org/10.15394/jdfsl.2017.1436.

O’Donnell, R. (2019, February 26). The case for an employee handbook acknowledgment form. Zenefits. Retrieved from https://www.zenefits.com/workest/employee-handbook-acknowledgment-form/.

Fontana, A., & Prokos, A. H. (2016). The interview: From formal to postmodern. Routledge