University Digital Forensics Portfolio Task 3 Report Analysis

This report delves into the realm of digital forensics, specifically focusing on anti-forensics techniques and their implications for investigations. The student explores various methods used to hide data, including manipulating file headers, utilizing slack space, and concealing files within other files. The report also covers executable files, packers, and binders. Furthermore, the report examines advanced anti-forensic methods such as tunneling, onion routing, and spoofing, along with the techniques used to counteract these methods. The student emphasizes the challenges faced by investigators due to these techniques and highlights the importance of careful data retrieval. The report concludes by underscoring the significance of understanding anti-forensics in digital forensic investigations.

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

1DIGITAL FORENSICS
Description
I have studied that Anti-forensics is a part of digital forensics, and it is a collection of
techniques and tools that frustrate forensic tools, investigators, and forensic investigations.
There are various goals of anti-forensics that I have studied. The primary goals of anti-
forensic include avoiding discovery of some events that have taken place, disruption of the
information collection, maximizing the time the investigation requires to solve the case, and
casting doubt on the report of forensic. Therefore, I think that it becomes tough for the
investigators to retrieve information from the devices on which the files are hidden.
Critical Evaluation on Method
I have learned some ways by which a person can hide information. They can change
the information on the headers of files. They can take advantage of slack space and can store
the files, and it will be challenging for the investigators to retrieve those files. I have also
learned that a person can hide files inside files (Gül and Kugu 2017). I have known about
executable files before conducting digital forensics. These are the files that the computers
identify as programs, and they create problems. However, I have learned about programs
known as packers that can insert the files that are executable into other types of files. I have
learned I have another kind of tool known as binders that can easily bind more than one file
that is executable together.
Conclusion based of Personal Experience
I have learned to have various methods by which the criminals hide the data. The
various methods include tunneling, onion routing, and spoofing. I have studies that tunneling
utilizes encapsulation to permit private communication to be transmitted over a public
network. Constant monitoring of the connection that is encrypted can prevent this.

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CryptoAuditor can be utilized to prevent these attacks (Rochmadi, Riadi, and Prayudi 2017).
The other process that I have learned is Onion routing. I have studies that it is the procedure
of sending some messages that are encrypted in layers, and they refer layers like an onion.
The best technique that I have learned that to fight onion routing is reverse routing. This
procedure of elimination takes a lot of time and but can be utilized to stop onion routing.
Another technique that I have learned is spoofing. I have studied that it is the act of masking
communication to gain admittance to systems and data that are unauthorized. There are two
types of spoofing IP and MAC spoofing. I have studied that the investigators use techniques
to recognize spoofings, such as email header and access points that are wireless (Singh,
Kansal, and Singh 2019). Other techniques and tools of anti-forensics that can alter the
metadata. Various applications of computers are present that can delete the data if an
investigator tries to access it forcefully. Therefore, I think that it is essential for the
investigators to retrieve information carefully.
From here, I have concluded that anti-forensics is a nightmare for the investigators,
and the criminals apply various techniques to hide the data. Therefore, the investigators
should be careful while retrieving data from the devices.

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References
Gül, M. and Kugu, E., 2017, September. A survey on anti-forensics techniques. In 2017
International Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing Symposium (IDAP) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Rochmadi, T., Riadi, I. and Prayudi, Y., 2017. Live forensics for anti-forensics analysis on
private portable web browser. International Journal of Computer Applications, 164(8),
pp.31-37.
Singh, K., Kansal, A. and Singh, G., 2019. An improved median filtering anti-forensics with
better image quality and forensic undetectability. Multidimensional Systems and Signal
Processing, 30(4), pp.1951-1974.