Digital Forensics, Law and Ethics

Digital Forensics, Law and Ethics

Part One: Digital Forensics

The Purpose of Digital Forensics

Cyber defense relies on digital forensics, which investigates and analyzes digital devices and systems for legal purposes. Cyber threats and technological advances make digital forensics complex and dynamic. Digital forensic professionals employ advanced tools to determine what happened, who was responsible, and what facts were involved in a criminal or security issue (Holt et al., 2022). Whenever a cyber-security incident occurs, IT staff will often be expected to make an initial assessment to identify the exact nature and severity of the incident. They also frequently do not have any kind of computer forensic training. In this case, they may not necessarily understand issues surrounding the collection of digital data that might later be required in court. Investigations become more complicated when crucial information like time and date stamps is lost. In the worst-case scenario, vital evidence during investigations can be rejected by courts since it has been mishandled.

Digital forensic investigations require specialist skills that involve the preservation and identification of digital evidence and the correct interpretation of that evidence. Organizations tend to initially focus on costs associated with forensic investigations. Most successful cyber-crime prosecutions rely upon evidence that can only be obtained by conducting a forensic examination, as much as 80%. It is common for forensic investigators to conduct their work without any legal process.

A forensic investigation can save time, resulting in a saving of money. When developing an incident response plan, companies should incorporate a forensic response mechanism. This could involve sending employees for computer forensics training courses or engaging computer forensics firms that already have such skills or both methods combined. Computer forensics is now well-established in many countries around the world and is rapidly gaining momentum in many other countries as well. Organizations should adopt forensics as part of their overall arsenal against cyber-criminals who attack them daily through email systems and websites, amongst other things.

The Importance of Establishing a Permanent Digital Forensics Team

Cyber threats are more complex than ever in the digital age, requiring permanent digital forensic teams. These teams respond quickly to cyberattacks while protecting electronic evidence. Investing in skilled individuals, technology, and rigorous protocols may streamline forensic investigations, save downtime, and protect operational capabilities and reputation. Companies keep their labs to maintain internal competence and reduce external dependency on others with limited or controlled information exchange, protecting cybersecurity continuity.

Standardized Methodology in Digital Forensics

To assure uniformity, thoroughness, and legitimacy, digital forensic investigations use consistent methods (Reith et al., 2012). The methodology, which includes the identification, preservation, analysis, and documentation cycle, must be thorough. The identification step will define the investigation’s scope, evidence sources, and procedures. Tamper-proof digital evidence must be collected forensically. Analysis uses specialized tools and procedures to gain insights from these proofs. Further, documenting court processes involves precise date reports and exhibits. Investigators can lose evidence if they do not take a systemic approach, but this strategy encourages cooperation and gives them defendable evidence.

Applicable Laws and Policies in Digital Forensics

Digital forensics follows electronic evidence processing, storage, and transfer legislation. Some of the digital forensics regulations include the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and industry-specific standards like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). If these laws are not followed, sensitive data may be lost, resulting in legal or unethical corporate inquiries. When conducting cross-border investigations or handling multi-national data, global variances and rules like GDPR should be considered. Legal innovations and best practices can increase litigation readiness, minimize damages settlement costs, and retain stakeholder trust.

US Federal Laws and Legal Issues

The rules and regulations behind digital forensics include various laws and policies aimed at controlling the storage, handling, and transmission of electronic evidence. Some examples of United States federal laws include the Computer  Fraud, the Abuse Act (CFAA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and other standards that might be more specific to one industry, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). For companies that handle sensitive information, following these laws is crucial to protect data from being breached in any way. These also aid investigators in conducting their research lawfully.

Legal Rights of Organizations in Forensic Investigations

Some organizations like ABC Hospital may need to conduct forensic examinations of their Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) policies. Employee privacy and legal compliance must be considered in these rights. Clear norms, agreements, and privacy safeguards are needed to ensure ethical standards and secrecy throughout forensic investigations. Organizations must always document, account, and transparently conduct forensic proceedings (Turvey & Crowder, 2017). To avoid being sued for violating employees’ privacy rights, corporations should follow state-set legal rules.

Part Two: Government Partnerships and Regulations

Description of Cyber Defense Partners/Structures

Government agencies and private sector firms with national critical infrastructure aspects form cyber defense partnerships to increase cyber resilience. DHS, FBI, and CISA share threat intelligence between public and non-governmental organizations to coordinate government cyber threat countermeasures. Federal agencies help ministries, local authorities, enterprises, unions, and foreign governments create security policies for IT asset management by knowing who is responsible for what.

Laws, Regulations, and Standards for Cybersecurity Compliance

Government and industry cyber security standards compel organizations to follow rules, regulations, and guidelines. Federal data security laws include the Computer Security Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and HIPAA. GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) is a financial industry regulation that requires strict regulatory compliance and data protection. In contrast, HIPAA requires healthcare providers to comply with strict medical record regulations (Harris & Martin, 2019). Organizations can improve their cybersecurity practices by adopting the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO/IEC 27001.

Federal Laws and Authorities

Federal agencies and regulations address cyber hazards, while computer hacking targets critical infrastructure for global powers and advanced persistent threats (APT). Thanks to CFAA, computer systems are secured from invasion and unauthorized access. GLBA requires banks to safeguard client data. Additionally, the USA PATRIOT Act improves law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute terrorism, cybercrimes, and other national security threats.

Part Three: Legal Disputes and Evidence

Introduction to Legal Disputes and Evidence

Cybersecurity legal conflicts have different legal and evidentiary criteria. Such conflicts may come from data breaches, identity theft, financial crime, regulatory breaches, and cyberspace contractual concerns. One must know the applicable laws, norms, and standards for conflict resolution and obtaining and analyzing digital evidence to support or defend legal claims.

Scenario Analysis and Applicable Laws

Sharing a Minor’s Photo

Federal and state child pornography laws, such as the Protect Act, prohibit crossing state lines with juvenile photos. Sharing unlawful images of minors is punishable by law and civil liability. Digital forensic investigation of electronic devices or communications may be needed by the prosecution to track this content’s origin or transmission.

Colonial Pipeline Hack

The Colonial Pipeline Hack highlights cyber threats to critical infrastructures (CI) and the legal consequences of hacking into important systems. This hack violates the CFAA, which compels corporations to notify victims of stolen personal information and preserve copies for proof, as state security notification regulations require. Federal agencies like the Department of Justice (DOJ) and CISA may investigate the occurrence.

Victim’s Identity Used to Open a New Account

Identity theft cases encompass civil and criminal processes for fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized financial information access. This is covered by federal laws like Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act and other identity theft laws.

Bank Fraud/Scam

FERA (Fraud Enforcement & Recovery Act) penalizes bank fraud, while the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) penalizes money laundering and other white-collar crimes (Schreider, 2020). Regulatory commissions such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) manage securities laws and consumer protection.

A Firm’s Stolen Credit Card Records

State and federal laws mandate reporting credit card data breaches. Data breaches that leak credit card information require notification requirements under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These firms should notify affected customers and authorities and take steps to mitigate the damage, such as credit monitoring or security upgrades. State Attorneys General’s Offices and the FTC could investigate and punish violators of this personal data regulation. Computer forensic investigation of compromised systems, breach incident reports, and regulator communications give background for legal compliance or defenses.

Impact of Legal Dispute Type on Evidence

Civil disputes use different evidence than criminal trials or private disputes. Each proof type depends on the case. The preponderance of evidence may be enough to prove liability or damages in civil cases, where the burden of proof is lower than in criminal trials (Garrett, 2016). The court may admit relevant and reliable emails, transaction records, or even forensic analysis reports from previous contract disputes, which are common in business today. The prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt by utilizing digital evidence that meets authenticity, relevance, and chain-of-custody requirements in criminal prosecutions. Private matters like contractual disputes or internal investigations involve negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Digital evidence can help disputants form settlement agreements that support their claims or defenses.

Part 4: Moral Precepts and Information Assurance

Categories of Unethical Behaviour

Unethical acts in information security may arise from a lack of knowledge, casualness, or an intention to do wrong. An example is when the staff handles critical data improperly because they have not been taught about it (ignorance), causes a breach by error via mismanaging software, which results in a data breach (accident), or other times, security company money for themselves, some people take customer’s information intentionally (intent). These risks can be mitigated through training programs, policy enforcement, and regular audit exercises.

Unethical Job Task

Whenever I come across a job task that seems unethical according to my conscience, my reaction is guided by ethical principles of honesty, integrity, and accountability. This response is consistent with the earlier approach discussed in this paper, highlighting the importance of being open about concerns, going directly to other people affected or involved in the firm’s activities, and engaging them in addressing such issues. However, there may be instances where organizational priorities or cultural norms differ from my personal viewpoint, leading to potential conflicts. In such cases, for example, when an organization tolerates certain practices or assignments despite their ethical implications, navigating through them with discernment and humility from a Christian point of view becomes paramount. For example, were I forced to be a party to fraudulent marketing techniques or data security compromise for the gain of the company respectively, then I would follow Matthew 18:15-18 on private engagement with relevant stakeholders regarding the matter at hand while advocating for integrity and accountability based resolutions through dialogue as well as consultation thereby making decisions grounded on integrity. Similarly, if confronted with an environment that is toxic towards work due to unethical conduct and discrimination on the basis of, say, race, Matthew18:15-18 will guide me towards advocating for reconciliation, accountability, and positive transformation within organizations’ structures, thus creating a culture that embraces decency at the workplace which respects all individuals’ rights together with diversity built on biblical teachings.

ISACA Code of Conduct

The ISACA code of conduct lists the behavioral expectations for information systems security professionals, particularly focusing on integrity, confidentiality, and competence (Lee, 2016). Due to this, experts should handle data delicately while observing legal requirements as well as working towards creating an environment that promotes accountability within their organizations.

Pressure for Infosec Professional

Security versus usability has always been a battle in the field of information security. Consequently, achieving this objective necessitates a complete risk assessment process, a user-friendly design approach, and periodic security control reviews. Otherwise, besides increasing incidents of insecurity, a lack of balance will result in user dissatisfaction, thereby causing defamation to the organization.

Integrating Information Assurance and Security

Information assurance integration into organizational processes involves fitting safety requirements throughout every aspect of business, such as procurement operations, among others. In order to achieve this, the IT department should collaborate with Legal as well as other business units so that together, they can identify associated risks, mitigate such risks accordingly, and confirm compliance with any relevant regulations concerning the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data.

Ethical Considerations

Ethical issues in cyberspace cover diverse themes, including privacy rights, property rights, and social responsibility, among others. All through these ethical dilemmas, information security experts must adhere to the principles of integrity, respect, and fairness. It is, therefore, possible for organizations to reduce potential risks and create confidence among other stakeholders by encouraging ethical behavior and ensuring accountability.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity cases need legal research, digital forensics, and evidence management. Understanding the rules and regulations helps firms navigate complicated legal frameworks and reduce cyber security lawsuit risk. Digital evidence helps settle court matters by demonstrating or disproving allegations. Organizations can engage with law, digital forensics, and regulatory affairs specialists to address any legal challenge in this dynamic cyber realm.

References

Garrett, B. L. (2016). Constitutional regulation of forensic evidence. Wash. & Lee L. Rev., 73, 1147.

Harris, M. A., & Martin, R. (2019). Promoting cybersecurity compliance. In Cybersecurity education for awareness and compliance (pp. 54–71). IGI Global.

Holt, T. J., Bossler, A. M., & Seigfried-Spellar, K. C. (2022). Cybercrime and digital forensics: An introduction. Routledge.

Lee, W. W., Zankl, W., & Chang, H. (2016). An ethical approach to data privacy protection.

Reith, M., Carr, C., & Gunsch, G. (2012). An examination of digital forensic models. International Journal of Digital Evidence, 1(3), 1-12.

Schreider, T. (2020). Cybersecurity law, standards, and regulations. Rothstein Publishing.

Turvey, B. E., & Crowder, S. (2017). Forensic investigations: An introduction. Academic Press.

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Assessment Description

In today’s world, the ever-changing social media and digital environments require professionals to have a solid foundation in law and ethics. As a future InfoSec professional, it will be required of you. Your role will be critical in helping to control the organization’s liability for privacy and security risks.

In a 1,600- to 1,750-word summary, address each item below to demonstrate how one would build a reliable, ethical, and legal information system that businesses and consumers can trust.

Part 1

As the computer forensics industry is growing, consider how the methods for handling computer crimes differ from traditional methods. Make sure to address the following:

• What is the purpose of digital forensics?
• Explain why it is important for any organization to sustain a permanent digital forensics team.
• In digital forensics, must all investigations follow the same basic methodology? Justify your rationale and explain the steps involved in this methodology.
• Concerning digital forensics, list the applicable laws and policies related to cyber defense and describe the major components of each pertaining to the storage and transmission of data. Note: This information can be presented in a table or chart.
• Examine the U.S. federal laws and legal issues associated with cyber threats, especially cyber types such as fraud and financial cybercrimes.
• Using a fictional hospital called ABC Hospital, discuss the legal rights of the hospital to perform forensic investigations on personal mobile devices that are part of your (Bring Your Own Device) BYOD policy.

Part 2

In many situations, multiple levels of government must work in partnership when ensure security compliance. As a cybersecurity professional, research the following:

• Describe the federal, state, and local cyber defense partners/structures.
• Examine the laws, regulations, and standards that organizations use to align with government requirements around cybersecurity best practices within their industry.
• Explain federal laws and authorities, including the Computer Security Act, Sarbanes – Oxley, Gramm – Leach – Bliley, Privacy (COPPA) HIPAA / FERPA, USA Patriot Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508, and other Federal laws and regulations.

Part 3

For each scenario, identify the applicable law(s) it would fall under and describe how the type of legal dispute (civil, criminal, or private) affects the evidence used to resolve it. Note: This information can be presented in a table.

• Transmission of underage photographs to various email addresses in California, Arizona, and Colorado
• Colonial Pipeline Hack
• The victim’s identity used to open a new account
• Bank fraud/scam
• A firm’s credit card records are stolen

Part 4

When providing information assurance, a sound defense strategy does not only look at the legal aspects but also the ethical abuses of abilities on the job.

• There are three main categories of unethical behavior that organizations must seek to minimize: ignorance, accident, and intent. From your research and your professional/personal experience, provide examples of each category and best practices for how to prevent such activities from happening.
• What happens when a job task borders on unethical from your personal viewpoint? Is your response to the issue any different than what you discussed above? What behaviors/tasks would an organization find acceptable where your personal viewpoint may not? Select 2–3 scenarios and discuss how you would address them from a Christian worldview. Consider Matthew 18:15–18. How could you apply this to a workplace scenario?
• Refer to the ISACA code of conduct. Describe the responsibilities related to the handling of data as it pertains to legal, ethical codes of conduct, and/or agency auditing issues, frameworks, and best practices.
• InfoSec professionals are under increasing pressure to provide access to information/data without sacrificing security or usability. Explore the challenges of balancing security and usability and what results if there is a lack of balance between the two.
• Describe how you would integrate information assurance and security requirements into an organization’s processes and practices.

Examine the ethical considerations of ethics and cyberspace, ethical issues, property, availability, rights of others, respect and principles of community, resource use, allocation, and abuse, censorship, ethics-based decision tools, and cybersecurity and social responsibility.