Cybercrime Investigators Handbook

Book excerpt: The investigator’s practical guide for cybercrime evidence identification and collection Cyber attacks perpetrated against businesses, governments, organizations, and individuals have been occurring for decades. Many attacks are discovered only after the data has been exploited or sold on the criminal markets. Cyber attacks damage both the finances and reputations of businesses and cause damage to the ultimate victims of the crime. From the perspective of the criminal, the current state of inconsistent security policies and lax investigative procedures is a profitable and low-risk opportunity for cyber attacks. They can cause immense harm to individuals or businesses online and make large sums of money—safe in the knowledge that the victim will rarely report the matter to the police. For those tasked with probing such crimes in the field, information on investigative methodology is scarce. The Cybercrime Investigators Handbook is an innovative guide that approaches cybercrime investigation from the field-practitioner’s perspective. While there are high-quality manuals for conducting digital examinations on a device or network that has been hacked, the Cybercrime Investigators Handbook is the first guide on how to commence an investigation from the location the offence occurred—the scene of the cybercrime—and collect the evidence necessary to locate and prosecute the offender. This valuable contribution to the field teaches readers to locate, lawfully seize, preserve, examine, interpret, and manage the technical evidence that is vital for effective cybercrime investigation. Fills the need for a field manual for front-line cybercrime investigators Provides practical guidance with clear, easy-to-understand language Approaches cybercrime form the perspective of the field practitioner Helps companies comply with new GDPR guidelines Offers expert advice from a law enforcement professional who specializes in cybercrime investigation and IT security Cybercrime Investigators Handbook is much-needed resource for law enforcement and cybercrime investigators, CFOs, IT auditors, fraud investigators, and other practitioners in related areas.