Cybercrime investigations involve determining the nature of a crime, gathering evidence, and protecting computers and networks. Investigators must have IT training and experience in handling evidence. Maintaining the chain of evidence is challenging, but crucial for court cases. Confiscated equipment may be kept until the trial period.
Cybercrime investigations seek to determine the nature of a crime and gather evidence to lead to a conviction. Along the way, detectives may uncover information they can use to predict and prevent crimes of a similar nature in the future. For example, they might notice a loophole in a program that makes intrusions possible, and they might contact the manufacturer to recommend a patch to fix the problem. Information technology training is required for this type of job, as is experience in gathering and handling evidence to reduce the risk of gathering information that cannot be lawfully used.
The process begins when someone calls to report a crime or a monitoring agency finds evidence of a crime. Investigative teams must protect computers, networks and components that may be linked to the incident. This can include things like financial networks linked to fraud embezzlement or computer networks targeted by malicious hacks in an attempt to expose and compromise data. Cybercrime investigations can be challenging due to the ephemeral nature of evidence, making it crucial to secure and monitor computers before launching an investigation.
Investigators can clone the system to explore it without compromising the original. Cybercrime investigations can involve a detailed audit of a computer system for malicious code, security loopholes, and other problems. Investigators can look for compromising files and programs, including material that people have attempted to delete, alter or hide. The specifics of the investigation depend on the type of crime being investigated. For hacking, for example, cybercrime investigations must uncover evidence that intrusions have occurred and must link it to a source.
Maintaining the chain of evidence with cybercrime investigations is challenging. Investigators must carefully document everything they do and can videotape, log keystrokes, and take other steps to track their activities. In the event evidence is challenged in court, the team must be able to demonstrate that the evidence is original, with no alterations that could compromise its validity. Members of this camp constantly review and update evidence guidelines to stay ahead of cybercrime investigations and set a standard for investigators wherever they work to follow.
Once the evidence has been fully collected and cataloged, the team may choose to keep the equipment they confiscated until the matter goes to court and is heard. This ensures they have access if they need it during their trial period. Otherwise, computers and other devices could be returned to their owners, which could compromise any remaining evidence.
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