Forensic Investigation: How Emerging Technologies Benefit The Process

Literature Rationale and Review

Forensic investigation is a scientific procedure that is executed in order to analyze various pieces of evidence to reach a conclusion and identify the criminal. Some of the common methods of forensic investigation include analysis of digital evidence, fingerprints, body identification, DNA testing, footwear evidences and others.

This particular research is based on forensic investigation techniques and it also aims to address the issues and gaps that are existing within the current research outcomes that have been documented already.

A research question developed for this particular research is as follows.

How can emerging technologies benefit forensic investigation processes?

From previous research activities, several interesting points can be noted and provide insight into future possibilities for further research. Some interesting things noted from previous research include the emerging technology that is bringing revolution in the field of forensic investigation. Modern technical devices and systems have enhanced the overall efficiency of data analysis from evidences and determining the criminal or reaching suitable conclusions.

From existing research, it is known that cloud computing technology has been introduced in the field of forensic investigation with much success. Using cloud technology, the storage, management and matching of evidences against new evidences and others. It is also known that there several cutting edge technologies that are now available for forensic investigation. Some of these technologies include Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), High-Speed Ballistics Photography, Alternative Light Photography, Digital Surveillance For Xbox (XFT Device), Video Spectral Comparator 2000, DNA Sequencer, Forensic Carbon-14 Dating and others. All these technologies are fast developing and providing superior options for investigators to gather accurate and necessary data.

According to Scott et al. (2017), forensic science is a major field of study that deals with the analysis various data, evidences and others in order to extract more data and information for the same. As a result, this particular field has been incorporated in crime scene investigations in order to determine the criminals related to the particular case. As the authors stated, forensic investigation mainly involves testing of various evidences like bio samples of hair, skin, spit, fingerprint and other cells containing DNA, evidence samples like murder weapon, digital samples like specific files, folders, data usage and others.

Perumal, Norwawi and Raman (2015) stated that in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, forensic tools were used to test various samples and extract data. These forensic tools were available in the forensic labs and the data had to be extracted and noted manually during the testing of the samples. However, with the digitalization of forensics, this process has become much more efficient and faster. For example, previously, the criminal face was manually reconstructed using clay on an existing skull based on the description of a witness. This was not a very accurate process and was not suitable if the investigation was conducted much later (e.g. 10 years) after the actual crime happened.

According to Daryabar et al. (2016), technology developed significantly and the manually operated tools were replaced by digital forensic tools. In relation to the example suggested above, digital imaging tool can now digitally recreate the face of the criminal based on the given parameters easily and in addition, using additional tools, aging effect can be added to the recreated face that will enable the investigators to develop accurate image of the criminal even years after the crime has happened.

Lillis et al. (2016) stated that emerging technologies will play even greater role in forensic investigation in the near future. With the extensive deployment of digitalization around the world, implementation of cloud computing in forensics can help the investigators to search up the digital database and find a person within a matter of seconds that was not possible even a few years ago.

This particular research will be mainly based on the study of existing works of researchers as well as secondary research procedure. Hence, the proposed methodology is a mixed methodology where both primary and secondary research will be conducted. For the purpose of primary data collection, questionnaire survey will be conducted among some forensic investigators who will provide data feedbacks on the emerging technologies that are currently utilized for forensic investigation purposes. In addition, reports published by various forensic investigation institutions will also be used for the collection of data.

The proposed data collection procedure is qualitative. This is mainly because in this research, the main focus will be on how the emerging technologies are affecting the forensic investigation techniques and the benefits can be further enhanced in the near future.

A proposed research timeline is as follows.

Task Name	Duration	Start	Finish
Research Timeline	75 days	Mon 1/7/19	Fri 4/19/19
Research Initiation Phase	7 days	Mon 1/7/19	Tue 1/15/19
Analysis of Research Requirements	3 days	Mon 1/7/19	Wed 1/9/19
Determine Feasibility of Research Topic	2 days	Thu 1/10/19	Fri 1/11/19
Develop Research Project Charter	2 days	Mon 1/14/19	Tue 1/15/19
Research Planning Phase	9 days	Wed 1/16/19	Mon 1/28/19
Development of Research Plan	4 days	Wed 1/16/19	Mon 1/21/19
Develop Appropriate Schedule for Research	1 day	Tue 1/22/19	Tue 1/22/19
Determine Resource Requirements	2 days	Wed 1/23/19	Thu 1/24/19
Develop Research Team	1 day	Fri 1/25/19	Fri 1/25/19
Allocate Duties Among Team Members	1 day	Mon 1/28/19	Mon 1/28/19
Execution phase	38 days	Tue 1/29/19	Thu 3/21/19
Initial Development and Literature Review Phase	29 days	Tue 1/29/19	Fri 3/8/19
Conduct Literature Review on the Research Topic	10 days	Tue 1/29/19	Mon 2/11/19
Data Collection	5 days	Tue 2/12/19	Mon 2/18/19
Conduct Qualitative Data Analysis	5 days	Tue 2/19/19	Mon 2/25/19
Develop Overall Emerging Technology Concept Based on Forensic Investigation	5 days	Tue 2/26/19	Mon 3/4/19
Develop Plan for the Dynamic System Modeling	2 days	Tue 3/5/19	Wed 3/6/19
Arrange Forensic Lab for Analysis of Selected Forensic Tools	2 days	Thu 3/7/19	Fri 3/8/19
Scenario Deployment and Simulation Phase	38 days	Tue 1/29/19	Thu 3/21/19
Gather Mock Evidences	1 day	Tue 1/29/19	Tue 1/29/19
Conduct Basic Forensic Investigation	10 days	Wed 1/30/19	Tue 2/12/19
Use Computer Simulation Regarding Digital Forensics	10 days	Wed 2/13/19	Tue 2/26/19
Note Down the Data Collected	2 days	Wed 2/27/19	Thu 2/28/19
Final Analysis of Data	10 days	Fri 3/1/19	Thu 3/14/19
Publish the Research Results	5 days	Fri 3/15/19	Thu 3/21/19
Closing Phase	21 days	Fri 3/22/19	Fri 4/19/19
Prepare Research Report	15 days	Fri 3/22/19	Thu 4/11/19
Validate the Report	5 days	Fri 4/12/19	Thu 4/18/19
Closing of the Research	1 day	Fri 4/19/19	Fri 4/19/19

References

Daryabar, F., Dehghantanha, A., Eterovic-Soric, B. and Choo, K.K.R., 2016. Forensic investigation of OneDrive, Box, GoogleDrive and Dropbox applications on Android and iOS devices. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 48(6), pp.615-642.

Imran, A., Aljawarneh, S. and Sakib, K., 2016. Web Data Amalgamation for Security Engineering: Digital Forensic Investigation of Open Source Cloud. J. UCS, 22(4), pp.494-520.

Kouwen, A., Scanlon, M., Choo, K.K.R. and Le-Khac, N.A., 2018. Digital forensic investigation of two-way radio communication equipment and services. Digital Investigation, 26, pp.S77-S86.

Lillis, D., Becker, B., O’Sullivan, T. and Scanlon, M., 2016. Current challenges and future research areas for digital forensic investigation. arXiv preprint arXiv:1604.03850.

Panagiotakis, I., Dermatas, D., Vatseris, C., Chrysochoou, M., Papassiopi, N., Xenidis, A. and Vaxevanidou, K., 2015. Forensic investigation of a chromium (VI) groundwater plume in Thiva, Greece. Journal of hazardous materials, 281, pp.27-34.

Perumal, S., Norwawi, N.M. and Raman, V., 2015, October. Internet of Things (IoT) digital forensic investigation model: Top-down forensic approach methodology. In Digital Information Processing and Communications (ICDIPC), 2015 Fifth International Conference on (pp. 19-23). IEEE.

Scott, K.R., Morgan, R.M., Jones, V.J., Dudley, A., Cameron, N. and Bull, P.A., 2017. The Value of an Empirical Approach for the Assessment of Diatoms as Environmental Trace Evidence in Forensic Limnology. Archaeological And Environmental Forensic Science, 1(1), pp.49-78.

Teing, Y.Y., Dehghantanha, A., Choo, K.K.R. and Yang, L.T., 2017. Forensic investigation of P2P cloud storage services and backbone for IoT networks: BitTorrent Sync as a case study. Computers & Electrical Engineering, 58, pp.350-363.