Digital Forensic Analysis

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Digital devices and communications are a part of daily life. From computers to cell phones to online accounts, we generate a significant digital footprint. As such, most civil and criminal investigations contain a nexus to digital evidence. This course will cover the principles of digital forensic analysis, including Electronic Discovery and the forensic process of Extraction, Processing, and Analysis. Students will learn and develop skills related to: acquiring smartphone, computer, removable media, and other forensic images; analyzing artifacts, file systems, and registry data; use of multiple methods and verification features to validate findings; and how to generate reports and distribute findings to share digital forensic results quickly and easily. Students will have the opportunity to use commercial digital forensics software to participate in hands-on lectures and practical exercise. This will include conducting digital forensic analysis on a computer, an iOS device, an Android device, and multiple items from cloud accounts. At the conclusion of the course, students will have a firm base knowledge of digital forensics and be able to independently perform digital forensics exams.