The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on digital systems with each passing day. This transition also brings new challenges and dangers, commonly known as cyber intrusions or cyber crimes.

However, in response to the surge in cybercrime, cyber investigations are making significant breakthroughs, effectively countering the aggression of cybercriminals.

In this article, we’ll delve deep into the world of cybercrime and cybercrime investigation, including the methods and techniques used by a cybercrime investigator.

What is Cyber Investigation?

Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks, bringing significant damage to both individuals and organizations.

On the other hand, cyber investigators are diligently working to track and halt transnational cyber criminals responsible for computer-related crimes using the cyber investigation process.

Cyber investigation is a combination of computer science, law, and investigative techniques that cyber investigators use to detect cybercrimes, gather evidence, identify suspects, and bring cybercriminals to justice.

Whenever a cybercrime takes place, a cyber investigation follows. Cybercrime investigators may work as solo investigators or with a variety of organizations, including law enforcement agencies, private companies, and government agencies like the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The main goal of a cyber investigation is to identify the source of cybercrime, gather related evidence, and present the gathered evidence in a way that can be used in a court of justice to prosecute the people responsible for it.

Common Types of Cyber Crimes

Phishing Attacks

• Phishing is one of the most common types of cyberattacks found in cyberspace. It’s a form of social engineering attack that targets a user, tricking them by sending fake messages or emails to extract crucial information, like login credentials or banking information. Attackers may also trick users into downloading malicious software and gaining unauthorized access to their systems.

Ransomware

• Ransomware is another common type of cybercrime. It’s a type of malware that, upon infecting a system, encrypts all the personal data on the system by encrypting them, preventing the user from accessing those files. The hacker then asks for a ransom to give access to the inaccessible data.

Online Frauds

• Just as the name suggests, online fraud is a type of fraud that takes place on the internet. It’s a general term that generally refers to all kinds of fraudulent activities that take place over the internet like spam, online banking fraud, service theft, digital piracy, etc.

Identity Theft

• Identity theft is a type of cybercrime where a cybercriminal steals and uses another person’s private information, like credit card numbers, personal pictures, phone numbers, social security numbers, etc., without the permission of the real owner to commit fraud or crime. Identity theft can be detrimental to someone’s daily life as it opens doors to financial losses, legal consequences, reputational damage, etc.

Online Harassment

• Online harassment includes a wide range of harmful behaviors that are used to intimidate, degrade, or threaten individuals on various online platforms. Some prevalent examples include cyberbullying, doxxing, troll campaigns, online blackmail, etc.

Types of Cyber Criminals

Hackers

• Hackers usually work as individuals, using their expertise to gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks for stealing or damaging data, causing damage, mostly motivated by financial gain, ideological motives, or simply to test their skills.

Organized Hackers

• Groups of individual hackers that work as a single entity to engage in cybercrime. Organized hackers are also motivated by financial gain or other, more complex goals. These groups can be exceptionally sophisticated and able to cause way more damage using advanced hacking techniques and evasion tactics to cover their tracks and avoid detection.

Internet Stalkers

• These are individuals who engage in persistent and intrusive behavior to monitor, harass, or intimidate their victims through digital channels. Online stalkers use online platforms to invade personal spaces, gather sensitive information about their targets, and use that information to threaten or harm their victims physically, financially, and emotionally.

Insiders

• Every organization has personnel who have authorized access to computer systems or networks. Sometimes these personnel misuse their position for personal gain, to damage their organization, or by sheer negligence and incompetence. Insiders can be employees, external contractors, or other trusted individuals using their access to compromise critical information, disrupt systems, or engage in other harmful activities.

Nation States

• Cyberattacks can come from all places. Some governments or state-sponsored groups utilize cyber attacks to gather secret intelligence, disrupt critical systems, or gain strategic advantage over opponent countries for political or military purposes.

How Cyber Investigations Prevent Cyber Crime

As mentioned before, cyber investigations aim to identify the source of the attack, assess the damage caused by it, track the perpetrators, and provide recommendations for preventing future attacks. Some common ways cyber investigations help prevent cybercrime include:

Identifying and apprehending cybercriminals

• Cybercrime investigations can help law enforcement agencies identify and apprehend criminals. This can discourage others from committing similar crimes.

Disrupting cybercriminal networks

• Cyber investigations can identify and dismantle infrastructures that carry out cyberattacks. This can disrupt criminal networks and make it more difficult for cybercriminals in the future.

Collecting evidence

• Cybercrime investigators collect and analyze a lot of digital evidence during their investigations. This can provide valuable insights that can help organizations improve their security measures and prevent future cybercrimes.

Improving cybersecurity practices

• Cybercrime investigations help organizations identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in their cybersecurity practices. Organizations can use this information to improve their cybersecurity posture and prevent future cyberattacks.

Building partnerships

• Cybercrime investigators can share information and resources to work together and prevent cybercrime through partnerships.

Raising awareness

• Cybercrime investigations can raise awareness about the risks and consequences of cybercrime. Law enforcement agencies can educate the public and organizations and encourage them to take proactive measures to protect themselves against cyber threats.

Cyber Investigation Steps

Cyber investigation is a complex process that involves several steps. These steps can vary depending on every case. Some of the common steps include

Preparation

• The investigation starts with defining the investigation, assembling a team of investigators, and gathering information on the incident and the systems involved.

Data Collection

• The next step is identifying and collecting relevant data sources, such as log files, network traffic, and hard drives. This step also involves securing the data, creating a forensic image, preserving the integrity of the evidence.

Analysis

• Once the data collection is complete, it’s reviewed to identify any signs of intrusion or malicious activity. Signs of malware, unauthorized access, data infiltration, etc. are clear signs of a cyberattack.
  The investigators also analyze the behavior of the attackers, such as their entry methods, how they’ve affected the system, and their potential motives.

Identification

• The analyzed data is cross-referenced with the threat intelligence database to identify the source of the attack, the attacker’s identity, location, and the tools used in the attack.

Containment

• Some countermeasures are taken to prevent the attacker from continuing their malicious activities. These activities include disconnecting affected systems from the network, disabling compromised accounts, and installing security patches.

Evidence Preservation

• The investigators will maintain a secure chain of custody for the collected evidence to ensure that it can be used in legal proceedings.

Reporting

• The investigators will document the results of the investigation, including the findings, recommendations, and any steps taken to contain the incident This report can be used to inform management, legal authorities, and other stakeholders.

Remediation

• Finally, the investigators will address the root cause of the attack and take the necessary steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. These steps may include improving security processes, deploying additional security measures, providing security awareness training, etc.

Common Cyber Investigation Tools

Cybercrime investigation involves many specialized tools and software that are used to collect, store, and examine pieces of evidence. These tools are great assets for identifying suspects, keeping an eye on their activities, and collecting the necessary evidence to build a complete case against them. Some of the common cybercrime investigation tools include:

Digital Forensics Software

• These tools are used for recovering deleted files, analyzing their metadata, and examining network traffic logs.

Network Analysis Tools

• Network analysis tools monitor network traffic, identify and track network intrusions or suspicious activity, and track the flow of data.

Malware Analysis Tools

• Cyber investigators use malware analysis tools to analyze and reverse engineer malicious software to figure out their behavior, as well as identify their sources.

Password Recovery Tools

• These tools are used to recover passwords from encrypted files, databases, and different sources of digital evidence.

Social Media Analysis Tools

• Cyber investigations include tracking suspects’ activities on social media. Investigators use social media analysis tools to track their targets and gather evidence from social media platforms.

The Future of the Cyber Security Industry

The future of cyber investigations will depend on evolving technologies, the ever-changing cyber threat landscape, and changes in legal and regulatory frameworks. Some other trends that may influence the future of cyber investigations include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

• Digital data is becoming more complex, making it more difficult to analyze and interpret. Cybercrime investigators are more likely to rely on AI and ML tools to help them identify patterns, detect anomalies, and streamline investigations.

Blockchain Forensics

• Blockchain usage is becoming more widespread, and cybersecurity investigators will need to develop specialized skills and tools for investigating blockchain-related crimes.

Collaboration and Information Sharing

• Cyber investigations often require collaboration and information sharing between law enforcement agencies, the government, and private organizations. As cyber threats become more complex and global, international cooperation and information-sharing are more likely to increase.

Quantum Computing

• Quantum computers can process data much faster than traditional computers. Cybersecurity investigators can use it to their advantage to identify and analyze cyber threats significantly faster.

Cloud Security

• Many organizations are adopting cloud technologies, making it important for the future of cyber investigations. Cloud service providers must implement advanced security measures to protect sensitive data stored in the cloud and prevent data breaches.

Threat Hunting

• As new and advanced threats are emerging daily, proactive threat hunting will become an essential part of the future of the cyber investigation process.

The Rise of the Internet of Things (IoT)

• IoT devices are seeing widespread usage across the globe, providing more avenues for cybercriminals to take advantage of. Cyber investigators must adapt to address the unique challenges that come with IoT devices to ensure complete security.

Overall, the future of cyber investigations will require advanced technology, skilled human expertise, and a proactive approach to threat detection and response.

Wrap Up

The world of cyber investigations can be complex and challenging. Hackers and cybercriminals are evolving and becoming more sophisticated with every technological advancement.

Cyber investigators must stay ahead of cybercriminals by constantly learning and understanding the latest technologies, legal requirements, and investigative techniques. With easy-to-access resources available to the public, the fight against cybercrime will only become more intricate with each passing year, and we have to be prepared for it.