Investigating Net Banking Fraud: A Computer Forensics Case Study

This case study delves into the application of computer forensics in investigating a net banking fraud. It outlines the procedures for discovering and investigating digital evidence, focusing on a hypothetical scenario where users' net banking PINs have been compromised, leading to unauthorized fund transfers. The investigation process is divided into three phases: Before Snapshot (identifying system weaknesses), During Snapshot (incident notification, authentication, action plan formulation including threat contention, data recovery, and system protection using tools like WHOIS, NSLOOKUP, and TRACERT), and After Snapshot (recommendations for enhancing security measures such as password management and authentication processes). The study concludes that computer forensics is crucial in resolving online fraud, emphasizing the importance of a logical and sequential action plan for threat elimination, data recovery, and secured system implementation. Desklib provides access to similar case studies and solved assignments for students.

Running head: COMPUTER FORENSICS
COMPUTER FORENSICS
Name of the Student:
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Abstract
The crime conducted digitally or with the help of the advanced technology is regarded as cyber
crime. The evidence and the investigation of the cyber crime need computer forensics. Computer
forensics deals with the evidences those can be collected digitally. This paper discusses about a
case that can be regarded as a digital crime. The process and the necessary steps those are needed
to be taken in this course are described in this paper. The case taken in this case is the fraud in
the net banking transaction. The steps , mentioned in this paper are hypothetical. Modification
and improvisation of these steps can be carried out based on the variation of the situations. The
specific name of software that can be used in this case is mentioned. Certain recommendations
are made on the basis of the actions and the result. It can be concluded from the paper that digital
forensics can be helpful in the detection and elimination of the computer related crime.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Choosing a computer related crime:............................................................................................4
Procedures needed for the discovery and investigation of evidence:..........................................4
The case:......................................................................................................................................4
Investigation process:..................................................................................................................5
Before Snapshot:..........................................................................................................................5
During Snapshot:.........................................................................................................................5
After the snapshot:.......................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
The definition of crime has been changes in this technological era. The crime can be
committed through the online which is often called cyber crime. In these cases the evidence for
the investigation of the crime does not involve with the collection of the physical evidence. The
evidence needs to track digitally in the case of cyber crime. It is the job of digital forensics
experts to find the evidence form for carrying out the investigations. Different tools and methods
can be implemented in order to gather the digital evidences related to the computer related crime.
However, there are certain factors such as- social factors, legal factors and technical factors that
may appear as a challenge in the way of investigation. This paper discusses about the crime
related to the computer that can be solved by the computer forensics (Cole et al.,2015). The
digital forensics team needs to be aware of the legal issues and the advancement of technology
while dealing with the investigation of computer related crime and enforcement. The computer
forensics merges the computer science and the law (Li, 2017). The investigators of computer
related crime should be aware of the methods of the investigation and evidence collection so that
those evidences are accepted during the judgment process. However, the role of the digital
forensics investigators can be utilized in full potential as the laws are not well synchronized with
the advancement of technology and sometimes exposing digital evidence can become the
violation of privacy of any person (Rogers, 2017). Moreover, with the advancement o
technology, the practice of encryption and anonymity is growing rapidly, so it is hard for the
digital investigators to track the evidences properly.

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Discussion
The role of computer forensics is not only becoming important but it has become a field
of study. There can be various types of crime which can be regarded as computer crime. There
are two cases where digital forensics are used- one is in cases such as identity theft through
online, online fraud, violation of security in the money transactions (Gabet, 2016). These kinds
of criminal practice are truly digital in nature. In the other case, the digital forensics is used in
those cases for the retrieve of the evidences. These kinds of cases are not truly in nature.
Choosing a computer related crime:
Online fraud can be resolved by the computer forensics. Online fraud can be regarded as
a case which is completely digital in nature.
Procedures needed for the discovery and investigation of evidence:
The main task of the computer forensics is to catch the criminal through the digital
evidence of the crime made by culprit. General method used in this type of evidence collection is
‘live box testing’ (Montasari, Peltola, & Evans, 2015). In case of catching the fraud, the main
tasks of the investigators are to recover the system, through where the fraud has occurred. The
tasks also include the recovery of deleted file, passwords and the checking of the flaws in the
security system of the computer (Patel et al., 2018). However, the idea about looking for
evidence in the system in case of digital crime may not be helpful in some cases. In this case, the
example of famous BTK killer can be mentioned (Williams, 2017). Digital forensics was used in
this case, however, the main evidence was found by the police from the house of the culprit.

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The case:
The case is related to the fraud in the net banking. During the fund transfer it has been
found by the users that someone has hacked the pin of the net banking and taken the money from
the account.
Investigation process:
The investigation process can be described in three phases-
 Before Snapshot
 During Snapshot
 After Snapshot
Before Snapshot:
Identification of flaw:
The investigation of the fraud in the net banking account starts with the identification of
the weakness of the system (Leelasankar, Chellappan & Sivasankar, 2018). The password used
by the customer in the case of net banking consists of eight digits. The combination of the
password is alpha numeric. The main flaw that has been found is that, the bank does not force the
users to change the password. In the terms and condition of the paper given by the bank it is
“recommended” that the password should be changed in periodical order (Ruiz, Winter &
Amatte,2017). However, this recommendation is not followed by the most of the users.
Detection and reporting:

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The user , who is the victim of the net banking fraud has lodged a complaint about the
fraud. The bank authority appointed a team of computer crime forensics investigators to
investigate the case.
During Snapshot:
During the snapshot, the processes taken by the investigators are mentioned in this process.
The following processes are taken into action in sequential order-
 Notification and acknowledgement of the incident
 Obtaining the reported incident
 Verification of the authentication of the incident
 Formulate the action plan. This includes-
1. Threat contention
2. Elimination of the threat
3. Recovery of data
4. Protection of the system from further attack
5. Taking follow up of the improvised system.
 Execution of the required communication.
Notification and acknowledgement of the incident: The victim of the net banking fraud
complains about the fraud to the bank authority. The bank authority will take necessary steps
about the incident.
Report of the incident: The bank authority gives the detailed information about the fraud
case to the computer crime forensics experts groups.

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Verification of the authentication: The digital crime forensics expert groups verifies the
authenticity of the incident.
Action Plan: The action plan consists of certain processes. In the course of the action
taken by the experts certain software is used, such as WHOIS, NSLOOKUP,TRACERT and
DNS lookup.
The steps are-
1. Analysis of the digital trace of the fraud occurrence in the application-
I. The access and transaction method of the net banking application is analyzed.
II. Checking the date and time of the day of fraud.
III. Findings of the destination or receiver of the money after the fraud.
2. Session IPs are resolved using WHOIS, in order to track the location of the culprit more
accurately.
3. Analysis of IP ownership. This phase revolves around the securing the authorized
custody.
I. This can be done using NSLOOKUP and TRACERT. Sometimes reverse DNS
lookup is needed in this case.
4. Execution of the communication:
The execution of communication includes the recovery of the data and the
mitigation of the damage (Chanajitt, Viriyasitavat & Choo, 2018). Certain
recommendations are made on the basis of the investigation that ensures the security
maintain the chain of authorized custody. The communication between the expert team

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and the bank authority is maintained in order to take the follow up of the current situation
of the system.
After the snapshot:
Recommendations:
 The bank should make its clients aware about the importance of changing the password
for the net banking.
 The issue of the new password should be done in a secured way.
 Enhancement of the authentication process is required. In this case the DES encryption in
the ATM can be used.
 The internet banking can show the alert to the bank and the customer, in case if the login
happens from the suspicious IPs. The last login session is needed to be synchronized
with time.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the discussion that the online fraud can be treated as computer
crime and it can be resolved using the computer forensics. There are certain steps those are
needed to be followed by the bank and the victim of the fraud. The forensics team follows a
logical and sequential chain of action which includes the elimination of threat followed by the
data recovery and the implementation of the secured system. Certain recommendations can be
made in order to improve the system more effectively.

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References
Chanajitt, R., Viriyasitavat, W., & Choo, K. K. R. (2018). Forensic analysis and security
assessment of Android m-banking apps. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 50(1),
3-19.
Cole, K. A., Gupta, S., Gurugubelli, D., & Rogers, M. K. (2015, January). A Review of Recent
Case Law Related to Digital Forensics: The Current Issues. In Proceedings of the
Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law (p. 95). Association of Digital
Forensics, Security and Law.
Leelasankar, K., Chellappan, C., & Sivasankar, P. (2018). Successful Computer Forensics
Analysis on the Cyber Attack Botnet. In Handbook of Research on Network Forensics
and Analysis Techniques (pp. 266-281). IGI Global.
Li, Y. (2017). Discussion on the Computer Forensics and Its Specifications. Computer &
Telecommunication, 1(3), 84-86.

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Montasari, R., Peltola, P., & Evans, D. (2015, September). Integrated computer forensics
investigation process model (ICFIPM) for computer crime investigations.
In International Conference on Global Security, Safety, and Sustainability (pp. 83-95).
Springer, Cham.
Patel, J., Singh, H. P., Paresh, M., & Verma, C. (2018). Forensic odontology in the era of
computer and technology. International Journal of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2(1),
59-64.
Rogers, M. (2017). Technology and digital forensics. The Routledge Handbook of Technology,
Crime and Justice, 406.
Ruiz, R., Winter, R., & Amatte, F. (2017). The leakage of passwords from home banking sites: A
threat to global cyber security?. Journal of Payments Strategy & Systems, 11(2), 174-186.
Williams, D. J. (2017). Mephitic projects: A forensic leisure science analysis of the BTK serial
murders. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 28(1), 24-37.
Gabet, R. M. (2016). A comparative forensic analysis of privacy enhanced web
browsers (Doctoral dissertation, Purdue University).

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