Database forensic investigation process models: a review

Database Forensic Investigation (DBFI) involves the identification, collection, preservation, reconstruction, analysis, and reporting of database incidents. However, it is a heterogeneous, complex, and ambiguous field due to the variety and multidimensional nature of database systems. A small number of DBFI process models have been proposed to solve specific database scenarios using different investigation processes, concepts, activities, and tasks as surveyed in this paper. Specifically, we reviewed 40 proposed DBFI process models for RDBMS in the literature to offer up- to-date and comprehensive background knowledge on existing DBFI process model research, their associated challenges, issues for newcomers, and potential solutions for addressing such issues. This paper highlights three common limitations of the DBFI domain, which are: 1) redundant and irrelevant investigation processes; 2) redundant and irrelevant investigation concepts and terminologies; and 3) a lack of unified models to manage, share, and reuse DBFI knowledge. Also, this paper suggests three solutions for the discovered limitations, which are: 1) propose generic DBFI process/model for the DBFI field; 2) develop a semantic metamodeling language to structure, manage, organize, share, and reuse DBFI knowledge; and 3) develop a repository to store and retrieve DBFI field knowledge

Forensic Methods and Tools for Web Environments

abstract: The Web is one of the most exciting and dynamic areas of development in today’s technology. However, with such activity, innovation, and ubiquity have come a set of new challenges for digital forensic examiners, making their jobs even more difficult. For examiners to become as effective with evidence from the Web as they currently are with more traditional evidence, they need (1) methods that guide them to know how to approach this new type of evidence and (2) tools that accommodate web environments’ unique characteristics. In this dissertation, I present my research to alleviate the difficulties forensic examiners currently face with respect to evidence originating from web environments. First, I introduce a framework for web environment forensics, which elaborates on and addresses the key challenges examiners face and outlines a method for how to approach web-based evidence. Next, I describe my work to identify extensions installed on encrypted web thin clients using only a sound understanding of these systems’ inner workings and the metadata of the encrypted files. Finally, I discuss my approach to reconstructing the timeline of events on encrypted web thin clients by using service provider APIs as a proxy for directly analyzing the device. In each of these research areas, I also introduce structured formats that I customized to accommodate the unique features of the evidence sources while also facilitating tool interoperability and information sharing.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Computer Science 201

IoT database forensics : an investigation on HarperDB Security

The data that are generated by several devices in the IoT realmrequire careful and real time processing. Recently, researchers haveconcentrated on the usage of cloud databases for storing such datato improve efficiency. HarperDB aims at producing a DBMS that isrelational and non-relational simultaneously, to help journeymendevelopers creating products and servers in the IoT space. Much ofwhat the HarperDB team has talked about has been achieved, butfrom a security perspective, a lot of improvements need to be made.The team has clearly focused on the problems that exist from adatabase and data point of view, creating a structure that is unique,fast, easy to use and has great potential to grow with a startup.The functionality and ease of use of this DBMS is not in question,however as the trade-off triangle to the right suggests, this doesentail an impact to security. In this paper, using multiple forensicmethodologies, we performed an in-depth forensic analysis onHarperDB and found several areas of extreme concern, such as lackof logging functionalities, basic level of authorisation, exposure ofusers’ access rights to any party using the database, There had to bea focus on preventative advice instead of reactive workarounds dueto the nature of the flaws found in HarperDB. As such, we providea number of recommendations for the users and developers

Mobile Forensics – The File Format Handbook

This open access book summarizes knowledge about several file systems and file formats commonly used in mobile devices. In addition to the fundamental description of the formats, there are hints about the forensic value of possible artefacts, along with an outline of tools that can decode the relevant data. The book is organized into two distinct parts: Part I describes several different file systems that are commonly used in mobile devices. · APFS is the file system that is used in all modern Apple devices including iPhones, iPads, and even Apple Computers, like the MacBook series. · Ext4 is very common in Android devices and is the successor of the Ext2 and Ext3 file systems that were commonly used on Linux-based computers. · The Flash-Friendly File System (F2FS) is a Linux system designed explicitly for NAND Flash memory, common in removable storage devices and mobile devices, which Samsung Electronics developed in 2012. · The QNX6 file system is present in Smartphones delivered by Blackberry (e.g. devices that are using Blackberry 10) and modern vehicle infotainment systems that use QNX as their operating system. Part II describes five different file formats that are commonly used on mobile devices. · SQLite is nearly omnipresent in mobile devices with an overwhelming majority of all mobile applications storing their data in such databases. · The second leading file format in the mobile world are Property Lists, which are predominantly found on Apple devices. · Java Serialization is a popular technique for storing object states in the Java programming language. Mobile application (app) developers very often resort to this technique to make their application state persistent. · The Realm database format has emerged over recent years as a possible successor to the now ageing SQLite format and has begun to appear as part of some modern applications on mobile devices. · Protocol Buffers provide a format for taking compiled data and serializing it by turning it into bytes represented in decimal values, which is a technique commonly used in mobile devices. The aim of this book is to act as a knowledge base and reference guide for digital forensic practitioners who need knowledge about a specific file system or file format. It is also hoped to provide useful insight and knowledge for students or other aspiring professionals who want to work within the field of digital forensics. The book is written with the assumption that the reader will have some existing knowledge and understanding about computers, mobile devices, file systems and file formats