Insight: An Application of Information Visualisation Techniques to Digital Forensics Investigations

International Journal On Cyber Situational Awareness (IJCSA)

ISSN: (Print) 2057-2182 ISSN: (Online) 2057-2182

DOI: 10.22619/IJCSA

Published Semi-annually. Est. 2014

Editor-in-Chief:

Dr Cyril Onwubiko, Chair – Cyber Security & Intelligence, E-Security Group, Research Series, London, UK; IEEE UK & Ireland Section Secretary

Associate Editors:

Professor Frank Wang, Head of School / Professor of Future Computing, Chair IEEE Computer Society, UK&RI, School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK

Dr Thomas Owens, Senior Lecturer & Director of Quality, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Brunel University, London, UK

Insight: An Application of Information Visualisation Techniques to Digital Forensics Investigations

Gavin Hales, Ian Ferguson, and Jacqueline Archibald

Abstract:

As digital devices are becoming ever more ubiquitous in our day to day lives, more of our personal information and behavioural patterns are recorded on these devices. The volume of data held on these devices is substantial, and people investigating these datasets are facing growing backlog as a result. This is worsened by the fact that many software tools used in this area are text based and do not lend themselves to rapid processing by humans.  This body of work looks at several case studies in which these datasets were visualised in attempt to expedite processing by humans. A number of different 2D and 3D visualisation methods were trialled, and the results from these case studies fed into the design of a final tool which was tested with the assistance of a group of individuals studying Digital Forensics.  The results of this research show some encouraging results which indicate visualisation may assist analysis in some aspects, and indicates useful paths for future work.

Keyword: digital forensics, information visualisation, computer security, usable security

ISSN: 2057-2182

Volume 2. No. 1

DOI: 10.22619/IJCSA.2017.100117

Date: Nov. 2017

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Hales, G., Ferguson, I. & Archibald, J. (2017). Insight: An Application of Information Visualisation Techniques to Digital Forensics Investigations. International Journal on Cyber Situational Awareness, Vol. 2. No. 1, pp100-118.

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