Pre-investigation considerations
The pre-investigation is where you determine your capabilities and equipment specifications to conduct a forensic exam, regardless of whether it is in the field or a lab environment. Now is the time to determine your budget for hardware, personnel, and training. Some of those costs will not be a one-time expenditure but will be part of an ongoing budget expenditure. The equipment has to be updated and personnel training has to be maintained, as well as the purchase of new technology as it becomes available.
Being a digital forensic investigator is not about buying the equipment and going to a training class and never updating either. As technology changes, so do the methods of hiding data or conducting criminal activities, so the investigator must be ready to adjust to these changes.
Before you are ready to begin the investigation, you have to prepare yourself. This will allow greater efficiency and a better work product. This includes preparing...