Digital Forensics Module: Data Collection and Acquisition Report

This report provides an overview of data collection and acquisition within the realm of digital forensics. It explores the initial stages of e-discovery, emphasizing the importance of safely gathering and preserving electronic evidence from various sources like computers, servers, and mobile devices. The report differentiates between data collection and acquisition, highlighting the 'imaging' process for creating forensic images of digital media. It discusses the challenges in physical acquisition and the significance of adhering to the order of volatility when gathering digital evidence, moving from the most to least volatile data. The report concludes by emphasizing the role of data collection and acquisition in identifying and examining patterns of fraudulent activities and its importance in digital forensic investigations. References to relevant research papers and articles support the analysis.

Running head: COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION
COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION
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1COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION
Introduction:-
Data collection is gathering and collecting all the information people want to then apply
for data acquisition. Whatever user can apply that will assist them in gathering information on
whatever it is they are trying to apply on the forensics techniques. The user then applies every
data which they have gathered to transcript a well comprehensive report that can assist be
applied to serve as a thorough report of the proof (Liu, Liu and Uehara 2014). The acquisition
delivers for digital data collection in the order that recognizes the instability of the proof and
gathers it in the order of instability to exploit the protection of evidence.
Critical evaluation:-
The term collection is the perfect method to start each e-discovery situation. Safely gather
and preserve user client is electronically kept evidence from laptops, computers, cloud
repositories, servers, email accounts, mobile devices, tablets, or smartphones (Khobragade and
Malik 2014). Once the user has developed the information, the forensics advisors can deliver a
targeted distribution of the possibly reactive documents for electronic discovery dispensation.
The forensic data collection and acquisition confirm they have supported their responsibility to
preserve and accumulate electronic confirmation.
Many collections are finalized in time matters and are arranged throughout times that are
suitable for the user. Its process is again reducing any disturbance for the custodian (Pichan,
Lazarescu and Soh 2015). If, for precise motive, a collection wants to be executed on-site,
Parcels can knock into a profound network of forensic associates to rapidly fulfill the client's
desires. The acquisition is the procedure of copying or copying digital information evidence
from portable and computer devices (Eleyan and Eleyan 2015). The procedure of obtaining

2COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION
digital media and attaining data from a device and its related media is precisely identified as
"imaging."
The data image can be kept in several formats, which can be applied for additional
analysis. A value is created to make assured that the image is not damaged at any assumed time
(Shah and Malik 2014). A valid physical acquisition is problematic to acquire as the device
constructor, in most circumstances, provides additional safety to avoid uninterrupted memory
access to their device brands. The forensic tool improvement businesses progress their own
modified boot loader so that their apparatus can use the memory openly (Meffert et al. 2017).
The main benefit of the acquisition is that it permits for removed data, part of the information,
shapeless data to be offered for inspection. Whereas gathering digital evidence, the surveyors
must fulfill with the explosiveness which rules that describes the direction or order in which the
digital proof is gathered. This order is sustained from extremely unstable to less explosive data.
Conclusion:-
The data collection and acquisition is the one essential process for digital forensic. Data
acquisition is the procedure of creating a forensic image from processor-based media like a
thumb drive, CDROM, hard drive, servers, detachable hard drives, and other media that supplies
electronic data counting gaming comforts and other appliances. The forensic analyst examines
designed collected data concerning events of many crimes. The purpose of data collection and
acquisition is to notice and examine patterns of duplicitous activities.

3COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION
References:-
Eleyan, A. and Eleyan, D., 2015, September. Forensic Process as a Service (FPaaS) for cloud
computing. In 2015 European Intelligence and Security Informatics Conference (pp. 157-160).
IEEE.
Khobragade, P.K. and Malik, L.G., 2014, April. Data generation and analysis for digital forensic
application using data mining. In 2014 Fourth International Conference on Communication
Systems and Network Technologies (pp. 458-462). IEEE.
Liu, A., Liu, J. and Uehara, T., 2014, June. Secure streaming forensic data transmission for
trusted cloud. In Proceedings of the 2nd international workshop on Security and forensics in
communication systems (pp. 3-10).
Meffert, C., Clark, D., Baggili, I. and Breitinger, F., 2017, August. Forensic State Acquisition
from Internet of Things (FSAIoT) A general framework and practical approach for IoT forensics
through IoT device state acquisition. In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on
Availability, Reliability and Security (pp. 1-11).
Pichan, A., Lazarescu, M. and Soh, S.T., 2015. Cloud forensics: Technical challenges, solutions
and comparative analysis. Digital investigation, 13, pp.38-57.
Shah, J.J. and Malik, L.G., 2014, February. An approach towards digital forensic framework for
cloud. In 2014 IEEE International Advance Computing Conference (IACC) (pp. 798-801). IEEE.