Lab Assignment: Exploring Digital Forensics Tools

The objective of this assignment is to familiarize students with various digital
forensics tools, understand their functionalities, and apply them to a simulated
investigation scenario. Students are expected to document their findings in a
detailed report, accompanied by relevant screenshots.
Instructions:
1. Select tools from the list below:

1. Cuckoo Sandbox (Automated malware analysis)
2. Kali Linux (Comprehensive forensic toolkit)

– Download and install any necessary software. For web-based labs, create an
account and set up your lab environment.
2. Scenario-Based Investigation
– Imagine that you are a digital forensic investigator tasked with analyzing a
suspicious computer system. Your job is to:
– Recover deleted files.
– Analyze potential malware.
– Examine network traffic.
– Investigate user activities.
– Use the selected tools to conduct your investigation. Each tool should be used
to perform a specific aspect of the forensic analysis.
3. Documentation and Reporting
– For each tool, create a section in your report that includes the following:
– Tool Overview: Briefly describe the tool, its purpose, and its relevance in
digital forensics.
– Setup Process: Document the steps you took to install or access the tool. Include
any challenges faced during setup.
– Investigation Process: Explain how you used the tool to analyze the evidence. Be
specific about the steps you took, the features you used, and any configurations
made.
– Results: Present the findings obtained from using the tool. Include data
recovered, anomalies detected, or any other relevant information.
– Screenshots/Images: Provide screenshots or images of the tool in use,
highlighting key findings or steps in the process.
– Analysis: Discuss the significance of the findings and how they contribute to
solving the investigation scenario.
– Challenges and Reflections: Reflect on any challenges you encountered while
using the tool and how you overcame them. Discuss what you learned about the
tool and its effectiveness in a forensic investigation.
4. Comparison and Conclusion
– Compare the tools based on their ease of use, effectiveness, and the quality of
the results obtained. Which tool did you find most valuable? Why?
– Conclude with a summary of your findings, the overall experience of using
these tools, and how they can be applied in real-world digital forensic
investigations.
Deliverables:
– A comprehensive report (10-15 pages) that includes all sections mentioned above.
– Reports should be professionally formatted and submitted as a PDF.
– Ensure that all images are clear and annotated where necessary to explain the
findings.
Grading Criteria:
– Tool Usage (30%): Effective and appropriate use of the selected tools.
– Documentation (30%): Clarity, detail, and accuracy of the report, including setup
and investigation processes.
– Analysis (20%): Depth of analysis and understanding of the forensic process.
– Images and Screenshots (10%): Quality and relevance of the images provided.
– Conclusion and Reflection (10%): Insightfulness of the comparison and overall
reflections.

Lab Assignment( Exploring Digital Forensics Tools)