Case Study 3: Minnesota Detectives Crack the Case with Digital Forensics

Due Week 7 and worth 80 points

Go to the Government Technology website to read the article titled “Minnesota Detectives Crack the Case with Digital Forensics” dated October 8, 2014, located at http://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Minnesota-Detectives-Crack-the-Case-with-Digital-Forensics.html.

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

Provide a brief summary on the case involving the two (2) Andover teens.
Explain, from a forensics perspective, the digital evidence found on the mobile devices that helped lead to the perpetrator’s capture and the girls’ rescue.
Describe the basic components of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office digital forensics lab and staff, and consider whether or not you would implement improvements in any areas based on the growing need.
Determine whether or not you believe the notion that an officer or investigator’s first questions at the scene should be, “Where’s the phone? Can we get access to the phone?” Provide a rationale for your determination.
Use at least two (2) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Outline system forensics issues, laws, and skills.
Develop plans that collect evidence in network and email environments.
Examine automated digital forensic analysis.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in computer forensics.
Write clearly and concisely about computer forensics topics using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using this rubric.

DISCUSSION 1

"Are Macs Different?" Please respond to the following:

Determine whether or not you believe the forensic processes taken by an investigator on a Macintosh system is different from that on a Windows or Linux System. Justify your response.
From the first e-Activity, thoroughly describe the Macintosh systems forensics tool you researched, including its functions, advantages / disadvantages, and cost. Explain why you would consider utilizing this tool as a system forensics specialist, and provide a scenario where this tool would assist you in a Macintosh investigation.

DISCUSSION 2

If you are doing an investigation on a particular type of system, would you need to use the same type of system to do the investigation? Why or why not? Research the pros and cons of that notion to backup your theory.

DISCUSSION 3
"Data Classification and Data Handling" Please respond to the following:

Assess the main policy elements governing data classification and data handling in organizations to ensure that data remain protected at rest and in transit. Describe the methods that organizations can implement to ensure that data remains protected at rest and in transit.
Determine which areas of the data life cycle are the most challenging to control and explain why (i.e., creation, access, use, transmission, storage, physical transport, and destruction).

DISCUSSION 4

"Information Systems Business Risks" Please respond to the following:

Identify the risks related to information systems and suggest ways to minimize them.
Describe Quality Assurance and Quality Control. Discuss their roles in information systems.