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).