Security Basics mailing list archives
RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use
From: "Craig, Tobin (OIG)" <tobin.craig () va gov>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 10:43:32 -0400
Edmond: What browser was used during this activity? There are limited history files associated with browsers that are often overlooked by the user, though these files won't under normal circumstances extend back to several months or years. It might be worthwhile using something like NetAnalysis to review the history. Keep in mind that there may well be additional information in unallocated file space that may have been deleted long ago but has not yet been written to with valid files. You need to be careful, the internet sites you are looking for may no longer exist, or may be completely different compared to what they would have looked like during the time frame you are considering. Whatever way you choose to proceed with your investigation, I would advise you to work off a forensically sound image of the data instead of the actual drive itself, in the event that your case should require criminal investigation. Best of luck, Tobin ___________________________ Tobin Craig, MRSC, CISSP, SCERS, EnCE, CCE IT Forensic Director, Computer Crimes and Forensics Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General ___________________________ -----Original Message----- From: McHenry, Glenn CTO1 [mailto:gmchenry () princeton navy mil] Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 1:40 AM To: 'Edmond Chow'; security-basics () securityfocus com Subject: RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Are you running a proxy server? If so, and it's windows based, you can go to the \winnt\msplogs directory and review the logs there. That's what we do here. Good Luck! Glenn -----Original Message----- From: Edmond Chow [mailto:echow () gettechnologies com] Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 2:23 AM To: security-basics () securityfocus com Cc: Edmond Chow Subject: RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Dear List, I'm working on the following project and would appreciate your views: I have been tasked with finding out if a certain desktop computer was used to view pornographic sites on the internet. This user has gone to great lengths to try to mask his illegal activities by erasing cookies, temp. files and by installing anti-spyware software on his computer. Are there any tools that would allow me to still uncover proof that he had accessed these sites? So far, the tech department is telling me that he did access illegal sites on only two dates but I suspect that this illegal activity started many months or years ago and it will be up to me to find more proof. Also, at a network level, we know his IP address but yet my technical support department is telling me that they cannot (either because they don't want to or because they are not technically capable of) tell me what internet sites this IP address has accessed in the past. Logically, there must be a point in the network (on some piece of hardware) where I can consult log files to track his activities? Or, is there a log file that I can consult that will tell me what sites all my users have accessed and from what IP address? In terms of access to the desktop in question, I will have full access as the computer will be in my possession in the coming days. Thank-you and any help that you can provide would be most appreciated. Regards, Edmond
Current thread:
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use, (continued)
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Mike Sweeney (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use James McEachern (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Beauford, Jason (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Edmond Chow (Aug 30)
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Jason Coombs (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use CJI Support (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Bob Radvanovsky (Aug 31)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use CJI Support (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Brunner, Mark (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Beauford, Jason (Aug 30)
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Dave Aronson (SecBasics) (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Craig, Tobin (OIG) (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Steve.Cummings (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Sadler, Connie (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use dave kleiman (Aug 31)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Robinson, Sonja (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Robinson, Sonja (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Robinson, Sonja (Aug 30)
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Jason Coombs (Aug 30)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use dave kleiman (Aug 31)
- Re: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use Micheal Cottingham (Aug 31)
- RE: Computer forensics to uncover illegal internet use McKinley, Jackson (Aug 31)
(Thread continues...)