Homeland security investigations have become increasingly complex in recent years, with various digital evidence making up a large portion of the evidence. Homeland Security uses digital forensic software to identify and investigate potential threats to U.S. national security. They can investigate evidence in a wide range of cases such as terrorism, human trafficking, child exploitation, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and illegal importation.
Digital forensic software can detect malicious activities, provide insight into the behavior of criminals, locate the source of a cyber attack, and uncover evidence that could lead to the arrest of a suspect or the prevention of a future attack. Homeland security agents must be able to act quickly when it comes to obtaining incriminating digital evidence. Several crimes such as terrorism, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation involve saving the lives of the victims involved.
What are the benefits of digital forensic software in homeland security operations?
Computer forensics has proven to be a beneficial tool to a variety of agencies and organizations. From police departments to corporations the benefits of digital forensic tools are evident. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has leveraged the power of digital technology to protect citizens from national threats. So what exactly does digital forensic software have to offer homeland security investigations?
- It is an efficient way to collect and analyze data. Speed is a major priority when presented with cases where victims’ lives are endangered. Cases must be solved accurately, efficiently, and quickly. Digital forensic software helps expedite the investigation process. Agents can tailor their software to recover specific information like browsing history. It can also recover files that match specific criteria. This can assist human trafficking cases where investigations must be expedited.
In September 2013, Homeland Security Investigations and the Allentown Police Department arrested Deshawn King and Daniel Blount. Both suspects built and ran a sophisticated, though brutal, prostitution ring. A victim who escaped shared her story with an officer who then contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the lead Federal entity responsible for investigating such crimes. Within two days she was placed in a shelter in another city while HSI conducted their investigation [1]. - On scene Triage. On-scene triage is the process that enables agents to quickly identify, collect and analyze important digital evidence at the scene of a crime or incident. This is beneficial in digital forensics because it helps agents to focus their efforts on the most relevant evidence while still being able to collect everything they need.
It also helps to preserve the integrity of the evidence by ensuring that all relevant information is collected quickly and securely. By organizing the evidence before it is sent for analysis, agents can avoid over-collecting items that may not need further analysis. This helps to speed up the investigation process and ensures that important evidence is processed fast. - Evidence can be collected from a variety of devices. Digital devices have become more readily available and are used more often in crimes. Digital forensic tools must apply to numerous devices and operating. It may include computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other digital media. The software can analyze the data such as deleted files, hidden files, and other information that may be difficult to access without these specialized tools. This is imperative in helping solve cybercrime cases.
- Evidence Preservation. Digital forensic software can help to preserve digital evidence in a forensically sound manner, ensuring that it is admissible in court. This software can create exact copies of digital media, including hard drives and other storage devices, without altering the original data.
Overall, digital forensic software can be an invaluable tool in homeland security operations, helping to collect, preserve, and analyze digital evidence more effectively and efficiently. That is why it is important to know which digital forensic tools provide the most benefits.
ADF’s Digital Evidence Investigator PRO software is the #1 automated digital forensic tool for iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, and Windows. It is all-in-one digital evidence forensics, triage, and media exploitation software built for speed, scalability, and ease of use for front-line agents who need results. ADF software quickly processes and analyzes smartphones (iOS and Android), computers, external drives, drive images, and other media storage (USB flash drives, memory cards, etc.). Agents can collect, analyze, and report on digital evidence they have encountered in a timeline view to tie the user to artifacts and files.
