Graph-Based Temporal Analysis in Digital Forensics
Abstract
Establishing a timeline as part of a digital forensics investigation is a vital part of understanding the order in which system events occurred. However, most digital forensics tools present timelines as histogram or as raw artifacts. Consequently, digital forensics examiners are forced to rely on manual, labor-intensive practices to reconstruct system events. Current digital forensics analysis tools are at their technological limit with the increasing storage and complexity of data. A graph-based timeline can present digital forensics evidence in a structure that can be immediately understood and effortlessly focused. This paper presents the Temporal Analysis Integration Management Application (TAIMA) to enhance digital forensics analysis via information visualization (infovis) techniques. TAIMA is a prototype application that provides a graph-based timeline for event reconstruction using abstraction and visualization techniques. A workflow illustration and pilot usability study provided evidence that TAIMA assisted digital forensics specialists in identifying key system events during digital forensics analysis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 21, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1073875
Entities
People
- Nikolai A. Adderley
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology