University Digital Forensics Module: Reflection Report

This report presents a student's reflective essay on their learning experience in a digital forensics module, specifically focusing on the topic of collection and acquisition of digital evidence. The essay explores the importance of data collection and acquisition in forensic investigations, highlighting the need for careful handling of digital devices and the use of tools like FTK Imager, Autopsy, and Encase. The student reflects on their understanding of live and static data acquisition methods, emphasizing the significance of preserving the integrity of digital evidence. The essay demonstrates the student's grasp of the key concepts and methodologies within digital forensics, as well as their ability to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios. The student also discusses the importance of data collection from devices such as open mobile phones, locked laptops, and damaged hard drives. Overall, the report reflects on the student's personal growth and development of digital forensics skills throughout the module.

Running head: DIGITAL FORENSICS
DIGITAL FORENSICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1DIGITAL FORENSICS
Discussions
Digital forensics is the field of forensic science that consists of recognising,
collecting, evaluation and reporting any digital information, those are digital associated to
computer science as a part of the investigation. The first step in digital forensics is collection
and acquisition of data. I have known that collection of data is one of the most important
steps in digital forensics (Årnes 2017). I have learnt that before investigating with the crime,
the investigators need to first collect the data from the digital devices those are found at the
crime scene. I have known that handling the evidence is the most essential element of digital
forensics. I have studied that collection of the data is the gathering of digital devices and
copying of Electronically stored information for the objective of preserving the evidences
those are digital and the remains not touched while the digital forensics are executed. I have
learnt that the digital investigators digitally collect the data from various digital devices such
as hard drives, pen drives and many such devices. I have known that there are various devices
those are found at the scene of crime such as open mobile phones, locked laptops, and
damaged hard drives and many more (Sumalatha and Batsa 2016). The investigators need to
collect the data from these devices carefully as the data can be deleted.
The next stage after the collection of data is acquisition of data. It is also an important
step in the digital forensics. The acquisition of data is the procedure in order to make an
image of forensic from the media of computer such as thumb drive, hard drive, CDROM and
many such removable devices that store these data those are electronic consisting consoles of
gaming and other devices (Sathe and Dongre 2018). I have learnt that there are two types of
acquisition of data including live acquisitions and static acquisitions. I have known that data
acquisition is very important for the digital forensics. I have studied the importance of
forensic evidence and it provides for the collection of digital evidence that signifies the

2DIGITAL FORENSICS
volatility of the digital evidence and then collects the data so that the volatility of the
preservation of the digital evidences is preserved. I have studied that are various tools those
are used for the acquisition of data. Some tools that i have learnt include FTK imager,
Autopsy, Encase and many more. I have studied about FTK imager that is an important tool
for the acquisition of data and used by the investigators (Montasari 2017). I have known that
FTK imager is a data preview and a tool of imaging that is utilised in order to acquire the data
in sound manner by duplicating the data without making any changes in the original data. The
Autopsy and the Encase tool also works in the same way as studied by me. From here, I have
concluded that data collection and data acquisition are the important steps in digital forensics.
The investigators must properly collect the data from various devices available at the scene of
crime and must store that properly. After that, they should use various tools in order to
acquire the data by imaging the data.

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References
Årnes, A. ed., 2017. Digital forensics. John Wiley & Sons.
Montasari, R., 2017. A standardised data acquisition process model for digital forensic
investigations. International Journal of Information and Computer Security, 9(3), pp.229-
249.
Sumalatha, M.R. and Batsa, P., 2016, April. Data collection and audit logs of digital forensics
in cloud. In 2016 International Conference on Recent Trends in Information Technology
(ICRTIT) (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
Sathe, S.C. and Dongre, N.M., 2018, January. Data acquisition techniques in mobile
forensics. In 2018 2nd International Conference on Inventive Systems and Control
(ICISC) (pp. 280-286). IEEE.