Assignment #3 - CCJS 321
Assignment #3 - CCJS 321
Brittany Knapp
March 3, 2024
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Ethical Dilemmas
Ethical dilemmas will often be encountered by digital forensic practitioners. To counteract the
repercussions or impact they may have on an investigation, there are various steps that can be taken to
ensure their professional conduct and the integrity of the evidence is not called into question. This
section will provide an overview of two ethical dilemmas and the steps that should be taken in each
circumstance.
Dilemmas can cause damage to a practitioner's reputation or lead to legal implications if they willingly
fail to rectify the situation. But ultimately the case as a whole could be entirely compromised as a result.
Evidence that has been altered, especially due to manipulation, is highly unlikely to be deemed admissible
in court (Maratsi et al., 2022). Or there could be questions as to whether or not an examiner even
The two ethical guidelines that would be applicable in this type of situation are professional competence
The duty to maintain integrity of the evidence is tied to their ethical responsibility of professional
competence through their standards of conduct. Every forensic examiner must remain up-to-date in the
field through consistent training and education, as well as with the evolving technology and examination
Taking continued training courses to verify their credentials is necessary. For a forensic examiner, they
should hold qualifications such as Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE). Also, taking the time
to review the employee protocol and maintaining communication with your colleagues to create an open
dialogue about the investigation helps keep all individuals on the same page and understand what steps
have been taken or need to be taken. This type of contact should also be followed-up within the chain of
custody.
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Another duty is the preservation of evidence. And failure to adhere to this duty could be considered
negligent performance (National Institute of Justice, 2023a). The importance of reliability (consistency)
and relevancy of evidence hangs in the balance whenever an error occurs. Every forensic practitioner
must be prepared to admit fault when they are aware of altered data or another issue, and be prepared to
When the examination has failed to follow the proper procedures and as a result, an alteration has
occurred, the sooner it is addressed the lesser or more consequential the end results may be. There should
never be a lapse of time in between the discovery of an error and the effort to follow proper measures to
assist in seeking a remedy (if any). When an error has occurred, the following steps such as stated above
are important factors in seeking a proper method of control and maintaining the expected level of
competence as an examiner.
In court, the defense is likely going to question competency and legitimacy/integrity of the evidence. So
Cloud Storage
Cloud computing and storage has become widely popular with the emergence of new technology. The
smart devices we use are almost always tied to the cloud in some fashion. And by being so individually
involved in the technology, the data that is obtained through them can be one of the most influential forms
of evidence for investigators. It holds pretty much all of the data that a physical device might hold, plus
more. In addition it often is the “backup” of whatever data was on a physical device but no longer is.
Legal Authorization
Investigators do need legal authorization to access data obtained from the cloud. However, there are
circumstances where access to this may already be warranted. It can also become a bit complex due to
the lack of jurisdictional limitations (being a global platform). Regardless, investigators must remain
mindful of what is stated in the US Constitution. The First Amendment establishes the right to privacy.
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In addition, the Fourth Amendment offers a balance between individual privacy and preserving
government interests. In particular the Fourth Amendment protects against unlawful search and seizures
which are deemed to be unreasonable. However there is often a conflict in what exactly is “reasonable”
and what is “adequate privacy”. In essence, digital data tends to play a controversial role in being legally
obtained, via search and seizure, and thus being admissible in court.
Being that whether evidence is going to be worth having within an investigation, boils down to whether
or not it can even be used in court. Any access gained needs to be done in a legally permissible fashion
and it is always best to err on the safe side when in doubt. Gaining legal authorization can help ensure
Law enforcement officials will face several challenges when obtaining cloud data. And there are some
● Cloud computing spans worldwide and outside of the scope of just the United States. The
geographical factor makes it difficult to establish jurisdiction and lawfully seize the data.
● Attempts to acquire this data through a service provider may cause an untimely delay in an
investigation.
● Officials are dependent on cloud service providers to organize, maintain and save information in
● Law enforcement needs a secure method to store the data to protect it from being tampered with
or altered.
● Extraction tools are limited and expensive. They must be able to verify that the tools are
● Data needs to be decrypted or translated in order to make any sense of it. Service providers could
● Balancing privacy rights and security concerns (protection against violation of the First and
Fourth Amendments).
In combination with these obstacles, there is a question as to how to properly preserve the evidence in a
forensically sound environment. This means that the evidence remains in an unaltered state. In addition,
the acquisition must have been conducted lawfully as well. And on a global scale, combating all of these
● Practicing the standardization of digital forensics and applying these steps to the methodology
(which are proven to be effective) of cloud computing science. This process includes
guidelines will assist in implementing efficient and effective investigations while the architecture
● The United States can develop international agreements to ensure data sovereignty and balance
out any conflicts regarding jurisdiction (Kundra & U.S. Government Accountability Office,
2010). This will help speed the process of acquiring data that is outside the scope of national
governance.
● Tools are expensive and very limited. The extraction process may only produce a fraction of the
data available. The format is not always readable. In addition to those complications, law
enforcement could either store data locally (expensive) or back it up using the cloud (cheap but
not as secure). Agreements between law enforcement and the cloud service provider would help
prevent this strenuous task and establish standards for safe storage and regulations.
● The importance of privacy and security can be further enforced through proper training methods.
Officials should understand how to abide by the constitutional rights of citizens. Although cloud
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computing spans across the globe, the United States must associate the same level of rights to
those outside of our nation as well (unless it puts our country at risk).
For more formal guidance, investigators should refer to The International Association of Computer
Investigative Specialists (IACIS). The IACIS provides an overview of core competencies and guides
those within the field of computer forensics. This includes everything from the acquisition,
authentication, reconstruction, examination, and analysis of data that is found stored on electronic media.
However, as I stated before, a great deal of data that originates on electronic media is often stored in the
cloud as well. So these guidelines can aid as a backbone in how to move forward in proper access and
preservation as well.
IoT Devices
Devices pertaining to the Internet of Things come in a variety of types. But they are connected, dynamic,
and easily altered from any place at any point in time. They often operate based on sensors that gather
information in response to human activity, motion, sounds, home gadgets, etc. They are an asset to the
This section is an overview of three IoT devices. This describes their particular function, problems they
solve for the user and some of the data they create in the eyes of investigators:
Function: These devices monitor your physical activity such as your heart rate, pulse, sleeping
habits, feminine cycles, number of steps taken within a timeframe, and other health-related
metrics. Some of the devices, such as the Apple Watch, aso allow you to make calls and send text
messages.
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Problem-Solving: These kinds of devices allow users to track both their fitness and stay equally
connected with other people just as they would with their cell phone. They provide insight into
their health, and the data can be synced from one device to the other.
Data Storage: Fitness and Health tracking devices typically store their data in cloud using
application platforms. Obtaining a warrant for someone’s iPhone, for example, would reflect the
synced data that was obtained from an Apple Watch via the Watch or Fitness application.
Function: Smart home security, for example the Ring doorbell, offers a sense of real-time
surveillance. Some of these devices offer capabilities such as being a doorbell, with a camera
attached so you can view who is at your door. And a microphone which allows you to speak to
those outside. They contain motion sensors and can also be purchased for indoor/outdoor security
surveillance.
Problem-Solving: These types of devices allow users to monitor their homes remotely,
(hopefully) deter break ins or threat, and also receive alerts whenever there is activity detected.
Data Storage: These devices typically rely on the cloud for storage. This is based on the
manufacturer's server. For example, Amazon is the manufacturer of Ring. Gaining legal
authorization to this data would likely require a subpoena be issued to the manufacturer if the
Function: This is a fairly popular and new way to monitor and even record your energy
consumption. You can receive real-time data on your electricity usage (or air
Problem-Solving: These devices help users track how they are using their energy before receiving
a bill. They can often change the temperature of their household without being there to do it
themselves. By keeping tabs of this, they can further pinpoint the accuracy of the charges they
Data Storage: Data from these meters can be stored either in a cloud or through a utility company
database - depending on what set-up the user opted into using. For law enforcement, retrieving
this information would likely need to be done through legal means such as a subpoena.
The Internet of Things brings forth a new world of potentially connected valuable data. This can range
from user activities, actions, navigation information, and event data. This includes data from one device
that may be paired and connected to another. When this is the case, investigators can easily piece
together all of the combined information and get a better picture of all the evidence collected. As in: who,
what, when, where, how and why. This is valuable because if one device is connected to a particular
individual, but brings forth data that derives from a secondary device, they now have more information to
assist them in the investigation. It is also helpful in verifying that they do in fact have the right individual
Aside from the cutting-edge experience IoT devices pose, every advancement is just as vulnerable to
cybercriminals as the convenience to the user. Whatever can be easily acquired and used by an individual
can be malicious obtained and abused by a criminal. Meaning all of the data is at stake, if the wrong
Drones are interesting considering their stealth ability, operating unmanned and with capabilities to carry
out multiple tasks. In the United States alone, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that
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there are nearly 1.5 million registered drones in this country (Congressional Research Service (CRS),
One major issue is that the same level of convenience and assistance drones offer for those with good
intentions, leaves an open door for those with ill intent as well. For example, drones can be used for
dropping materials off in challenging environments. This is a great advancement for circumstances such
as a natural emergency. However, that also means easy drop-off and quick departure of other things, such
as drugs. They also have the ability to carry other items that could be of great help. But unfortunately,
terrorists have used this sort of advancement for frowned upon drop-offs, such as a grenade. There have
also been assassination attempts in other countries as well, all using the convenient features of drones.
The revolution of expanding use of drones for both legal and illegal activities has prompted Congress to
examine options for detecting and interdicting drones. But as that process continues to be in the making,
and drones continue to evolve, law enforcement can play a huge role in assisting what they too can
A simple way that law enforcement could gain assistance in combating illegal use of drones is through the
public. The public should be informed about the use of drones, the information they collect, their
abilities, reasons for use, and relevant rules or regulations (Dolata & Schwabe, 2023). If someone spots a
drone and feels it is operating against civilian rights or beyond proper behavior, they should be well-
informed about these standards and feel confident in contacting law enforcement to have the situation
investigated. This can help generate more circumstances where even law enforcement officials will gain
experience in determining legalized and controlled applications versus potentially illegal and erroneous.
As drone usage is becoming increasingly popular, there should be a greater scope of information being
exchanged between civilians and law enforcement to ensure that those using drones (on a civilian basis)
are doing so within guidelines, and anything foreign can be immediately addressed according to the level
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of perceived threat. Countermeasures against cyber-related, terroristic, or criminal usage of drones can be
adopted to help maintain safety and prevent security attacks. But the way in which law enforcement must
address each issue is based on the type of attack, the main motive, objectives and goals (Yaacoub &
Salman, 2020). During drone investigations, identifying the root cause of an attack can assist in
minimizing the impact and bringing the operation to an end. This is a very dynamic process that
continues to be in the making, and various techniques continue to be experimented in order to find the
However law enforcement and security personnel can consider using the same technology they may find a
security risk, to their advantage by implementing the same tactic. Law enforcement can quickly survey
large clouds for signs of protest or public disruption, maintain a known criminals within view during a
pursuit, review critical locations that require protection against attacks such as nuclear power plants, or
even be an oversight as a monitorer of a (governmental) building - including any entry/ exit points and its
perimeters, as well as general surroundings. In the process, these drones may in fact detect other drones
that may be doing the same thing for ill purposes. In that case, they can obtain quick information about
the drone that they identify within sight and immediately notify ground units that are more equipped to
For example, if this were to occur in Washington, D.C.. I am fairly confident that the feds would take
immediate interest in the identification and determining the legitimate purpose of the drone in question. It
may have been successful in being “stealth” from the ground, but by implementing our air surveillance,
law enforcement can easily spot others that are within the same airspace as well. Along with assistance
from the public as well, we can incorporate a well-rounded system of securing ourselves while we
continue to produce more sophisticated attempts to cause extreme disruption to our country.
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After reading the report regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s progress on UAS (unmanned
aircraft systems) traffic management and their key challenges, the conclusion was that there has been
some initial but slow progress in initiating framework to combat all threats that can be posed by the use of
drones. The Federal Aviation Administration considers themselves in the early stages of successfully
implementing necessary technology. Their is a list of requirements that UAS Traffic Management
(UTM) needs to incorporate, but I found the following most vital: “cybersecurity protections, data
integrity, and national and homeland security benefits”, “deconfliction of cooperative unmanned aircraft
systems”, “management services and technologies to ensure the safety oversight of manned and
unmanned aircraft”, “additional technologies to detect cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft”, “data
exchange protocols to share UAS operator intent, operational approvals, operational restraints, and other
data necessary to ensure safety or security of the National Airspace System”, “the potential for UTM
services to manage UAS carrying either cargo, payload, or passengers, weighing more than 55 pounds,
and operating at altitudes higher than 400 feet” (US Department of Transportation et al., 2022).
Securing drone data is a work in progress. Data captured by a drone requires aggregation to help
minimize the continuous traffic being sent from the base station. But there are other storage and methods
Drones can capture all types of data, including aerial, mapping, inspection, location, and imagery.
Because of their ability to take high-resolution images, they are capable of gathering significant
information to make informed decisions (Drones, 2023). However the true value of the data does not
derive from the data alone but merely from its aligned interpretation and ability to convert raw data into
decisive information. Data collection, regardless of where the storage is located, must have data
management as well. This transforms the raw data into advanced and actionable information. Also, the
need for encryption as well as backup systems is imperative to protect the data and prevent any loss of
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such. Lastly, a secure storage solution is also important. This would include using multiple layers of
security to keep the data sealed and protected from unauthorized access.
It is important to understand what types of drone data can be collected, and their importance:
● Aerial Data
● Mapping Data
● Inspection Data
● High-Resolution Visuals
AERIAL DATA: This is an “eye-in-the-sky” view of the landscape below. It serves as an ideal function
for industries such as real estate, crop planning, and for disaster management. A drone can often retrieve
aerial data very quickly and easily, at a cost that is far less expensive compared to the use of a helicopter.
MAPPING DATA: This is very precise information, gaining insight on location-specific data. This
might be used by those in construction, agriculture, or other industries where accuracy and precision is
INSPECTION DATA: Drones are used for this purpose across nearly all industries. It serves as a new
way to conduct safety assessments and maintenance procedures. Gathering crucial data allows drone
inspections to enhance efficiency while reducing risks to human inspectors (OnestopNDT, 2023)
HIGH-RESOLUTION VISUALS: Drones can do more than just take a picture. It can take continuous
video and picture images of real-life and current environments. This can play a crucial role in decision-
making processes, including traffic routing maneuvers. Businesses are also able to use this type of
imagery to make more informed decisions as well, to help mitigate risks and use efficiency in resources.
In terms of how all of this data is stored, the options are quite complex. Drones rely on their sensors to
gather information. Which must be stored locally via some device or having the capability. Just as many
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other devices within technology, the most common storage method is on the drone itself. These all
But what is onboard is not always the most precious way to have data storage. Especially when your data
can crash. A drone might experience extreme weather conditions, surroundings, contaminants, or maybe
a malfunction.
Using edge computing, they can bypass that possible disaster of data destruction. Even if they have on-
board storage, many have the capability to connect to the internet as well. Meaning operators can easily
download and access the captured information, direct it to the cloud in real time, while the drone itself is
Emerging technologies refer to innovative advancements at the forefront of development. They have an
immense amount of potential for various industries and to help enhance the lives within the general
public. These technologies often offer exciting and new possibilities. But they can also have major
transformative impacts on how we live our day to day lives and interact with others. In a sense, emerging
technology carries a disruptive entry into our lifestyle but overtime becomes a normalization and
convenience.
Technology Descriptions
Two new emerging technologies that are going to be discussed include Artificial Intelligence and
Quantum Computing. I will also include what authorities can do to help protect these technologies from
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving and advancing, with the potential to be used by criminal or
terrorist networks (Cardwell, 2019). AI is a subnet of technology that aims to simulate human
intelligence in machines. They can learn and make predictions or decisions by analyzing data. AI can
automate repetitive tasks, optimize decision-making processes, and improve operational efficiency
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(Pawlan, 2023). But for criminals, they can gain access to these devices for a variety of purposes. They
might automate cyber attacks, eavesdrop, use deep fake content to spread disinformation, or use the
intelligence…
➢ Incorporating AI cybersecurity solutions that can balance out analysis of the behavior from AI
that is not subjected to intrusion, to others. This might help detect any abnormalities in the
future.
Quantum Computing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform complex computations.
Through this process it can solve problems exponentially faster than classical computers, particularly in
cryptography and optimization. However quantum computing can be prone to potential disruptive
encryption algorithms. This could be done by criminals exploiting quantum computing mechanisms in
order to break encryption. From there, they could gain unauthorized access to information and undermine
the security.
➢ Address unique security challenges posed by quantum computing and determine what measures
would best protect sensitive information from quantum attacks (Pawlan, 2023).
➢ Stay up to date in terms of and data security and privacy vulnerabilities and run frequent checks
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