ICB 1208 CRIMINALISTICS AND FORENSICS LAB COURSE OUTLINE 2022

ICB 1208: Criminalistics/Forensic Science Lab Overview

  • Course Duration: 42 hours

  • Focus: Introduction to various forensic science disciplines, covering both digital and non-digital methods.

Course Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Forensic Science

  • Definitions and Terminologies

    • Understanding criminalistics and forensic science.

    • Overview of criminal behaviors.

  • History of Forensic Science

    • Evolution and milestones in forensic science.

  • Computer Crimes and Digital Forensics

    • Introduction to computer-related crimes.

Week 2: Goals and Types of Forensic Science

  • Goals of Forensic Science

    • Distinctions between digital and non-digital forensic methods.

  • Types of Forensics

    • Fingerprint technology

    • Forensic toxicology

    • Serology

    • Firearms analysis

    • Forensic psychology

    • DNA analysis

Week 3: Role of Digital Forensics

  • Importance in criminal and corporate investigations, auditing, and IT security.

Week 4: Digital Forensics Process

  • Overview of Digital Evidence

    • Understanding digital evidence and its significance.

  • Preparing for Forensic Investigations

    • Steps to prepare for investigations.

  • Crime Scene Management

    • Managing and securing crime scenes.

Week 5: Private Sector Incident Scenes

  • Preparing for a Search

    • Best practices for search preparation.

  • Securing a Crime Scene

    • Techniques to secure both physical and digital evidence.

Week 6: Evidence Collection

  • Physical and Digital Evidence

    • Methods for collection and seizing evidence.

  • Storing Evidence

    • Storage formats for digital evidence.

Week 7: Acquisition Methods

  • Acquisition Tools

    • Tools used for evidence acquisition.

  • Live Acquisition Process

    • Understanding the live acquisition of data.

  • Validating Data Acquisitions

    • Ensuring integrity and authenticity of acquired data.

Week 8: Computer Forensics Tools

  • Overview of software and hardware tools used in computer forensics.

Week 9: Software Validation Protocols

  • Importance of validating forensic software used in investigations.

Week 10: File Systems Forensics

  • Analysis of different file structures: Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Macintosh.

Week 11: Specialized Forensic Areas

  • Mobile Forensics

    • Techniques and tools for mobile device forensics.

  • Network Forensics

    • Investigation and analysis of network evidence.

  • Email and Social Media Forensics

    • Tracking and analyzing digital communications.

  • Cloud Forensics

    • Forensics in cloud environments.

Week 12: Writing Reports

  • Importance and guidelines for writing forensic reports.

  • Extracting Reports from Software Tools

    • Techniques for generating reports from forensic software.

Additional Topics

Expert Testimony in Investigations

  • Role and guidelines for expert witnesses in forensic investigations.

Ethics for the Investigator and Expert Witness

  • Ethical considerations in forensic investigations.

Challenges in Digital Forensics

  • Overview of common challenges faced in digital forensic investigations.

Assessment Overview

  • Lab Work: 15%

  • Classroom Activities (CATs): 15%

  • Examinations: 70%

  • Total: 100%

References

  • Hayes, D. R. (2015). A Practical Guide to Computer Forensics Investigations. Pearson.

  • Hassan, N. A. (2019). Digital Forensics Basics: A Practical Guide Using Windows OS. New York.

  • EnCase® User Guide, Forensic Version 8.07

  • CSPL-18: Computer Forensics Laboratory LAB MANUAL

  • Nelson, B., Phillips, A., & Stuart, C. (2016). Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations (5th Edition).

  • Britz, M. T. (2013). Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime: An Introduction (3rd Edition).