Evolution of Digital Forensics in Cybersecurity.
Written by Nana Sei Anyemedu
Image credit - veritone.com
The field of digital forensics, which involves examining and evaluating digital devices and networks to detect indications of cybercrime, has experienced a significant advancement in the last few years. The field of digital forensics has evolved and grown to meet the difficulties of the modern digital landscape as technology progresses and cyber threats get more complex.
From Reactive to Proactive
Historically, digital forensics has been employed mostly as a post-cyber incident investigation and evidence-gathering procedure. But as proactive cybersecurity techniques like threat hunting and ongoing monitoring have become more popular, digital forensics is becoming increasingly important in spotting and averting such threats before they materialize into full-fledged assaults. Cybersecurity experts may perform proactive digital forensic investigations to find vulnerabilities, spot unusual activity, and stop cyberattacks before they happen by utilizing cutting-edge technologies and procedures.
Digital forensics has historically been a reactive practice, mostly employed to look into and collect evidence following a cyber incident. Nevertheless, as proactive cybersecurity techniques include threat hunting and ongoing
Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Digital forensics is undergoing a revolution because to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, which make it possible for investigators to handle and evaluate massive volumes of digital evidence more quickly and correctly than ever before. Through the use of AI and ML algorithms, ordinary processes are being automated, pertinent evidence is being found, and hidden insights are being unearthed from complex datasets. These applications range from picture and speech identification to natural language processing and pattern recognition. Digital forensic analysts can increase productivity, decrease manual labor, and concentrate their knowledge on more strategic facets of cyber investigations by utilizing AI and ML.
Difficulties in Digital Forensics
Challenges
1. Encryption and Data Protection: Accessing and decrypting data for forensic analysis has grown more challenging with the widespread deployment of encryption technology. Digital forensic investigators face a great deal of difficulty when dealing with encrypted data since it frequently calls for certain equipment, methods, and knowledge to retrieve and examine pertinent evidence.
2. The innate volatility of digital evidence makes it susceptible to manipulation, alteration, or deletion by those who wish to commit crimes. Maintaining the integrity and validity of digital evidence during the forensic investigation process is difficult due to the dynamic nature of digital environments and the rise in sophisticated cyberattacks.
In conclusions, even if the area of digital forensics has many obstacles in the current cybersecurity environment, there are also many chances for development and advancement.
Author’s LinkedIn : Nana Sei Anyemedu
Penetration Tester/ Digital Forensic Officer