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Reseach Article

Obfuscating Live Computer Forensic Investigative Process on a Windows 7 Operating System: A Criminal's Perspective

by Dinesh Mothi
International Journal of Computer Applications
Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Volume 122 - Number 6
Year of Publication: 2015
Authors: Dinesh Mothi
10.5120/21701-4814

Dinesh Mothi . Obfuscating Live Computer Forensic Investigative Process on a Windows 7 Operating System: A Criminal's Perspective. International Journal of Computer Applications. 122, 6 ( July 2015), 1-7. DOI=10.5120/21701-4814

@article{ 10.5120/21701-4814,
author = { Dinesh Mothi },
title = { Obfuscating Live Computer Forensic Investigative Process on a Windows 7 Operating System: A Criminal's Perspective },
journal = { International Journal of Computer Applications },
issue_date = { July 2015 },
volume = { 122 },
number = { 6 },
month = { July },
year = { 2015 },
issn = { 0975-8887 },
pages = { 1-7 },
numpages = {9},
url = { https://ijcaonline.org/archives/volume122/number6/21701-4814/ },
doi = { 10.5120/21701-4814 },
publisher = {Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA},
address = {New York, USA}
}
%0 Journal Article
%1 2024-02-06T23:09:49.899845+05:30
%A Dinesh Mothi
%T Obfuscating Live Computer Forensic Investigative Process on a Windows 7 Operating System: A Criminal's Perspective
%J International Journal of Computer Applications
%@ 0975-8887
%V 122
%N 6
%P 1-7
%D 2015
%I Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Abstract

Live forensic investigation is conducted when the computer system is turned on whilst the data is gathered in a forensically sound manner, from the physical memory, in the form of evidence. As time progressed, criminals have been developing methodologies by which live analysis could be defeated. One such method implemented by the criminals is that of a rookit being installed on the victim's machine. A rookit can be dangerous, and very risky to deal with from an investigator's point of view, because it has the power to subvert the kernel of an operating system. This paper presents, how easy it is for a criminal to thwart the process of live forensic investigation by downloading and installing free software tools; needing, no prior knowledge of the windows 7 operating system's kernel, and how frustrating it would be for the investigator to examine the computer system and make a valid forensic report. Thus, making live analysis a daunting task for the forensic investigator on field. Finally, a mathematical formula is derived for detecting the presence of hidden processes in the memory.

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Index Terms

Computer Science
Information Sciences

Keywords

Anti-Forensics Digital Forensics Computer Forensics Memory Forensics Live Response.