Research Area:  Digital Forensics

Abstract:

Database forensic investigation (DBFI) is an important area of research within digital forensics. It-s importance is growing as digital data becomes more extensive and commonplace. The challenges associated with DBFI are numerous, and one of the challenges is the lack of a harmonized DBFI process for investigators to follow. In this paper, therefore, we conduct a survey of existing literature with the hope of understanding the body of work already accomplished. Furthermore, we build on the existing literature to present a harmonized DBFI process using design science research methodology. This harmonized DBFI process has been developed based on three key categories (i.e. planning, preparation and pre-response, acquisition and preservation, and analysis and reconstruction). Furthermore, the DBFI has been designed to avoid confusion or ambiguity, as well as providing practitioners with a systematic method of performing DBFI with a higher degree of certainty.

Keywords:  

Author(s) Name:  Arafat Al-Dhaqm; Shukor Abd Razak; David A. Dampier; Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo; Kamran Siddique; Richard Adeyemi Ikuesan; Abdulhadi Alqarni; Victor R. Kebande

Publisher name:  IEEE

DOI:  10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3000747

Volume Information:  Volume: 8, Page(s): 112846 - 112858

Paper Link:   https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9110909