I read a lot. I write a lot. I work a lot. Sometimes these things coincide. One of the ways they coincide is through writing books about my day job, for which I also read books other people have written.
Here are a few of my favourite digital forensics books I’ve read over the past few years, which I’d recommend if you’re looking for relevant reading material.
Digital Evidence And Computer Crime by Eoghan Casey
A fantastic read for anyone who’s interested in the subject, this book is broken down into sections, each one dealing with a different area, from processing a crime scene to retrieving data from a smartphone. There are useful templates for report writing, memory aids and little boxes that highlight the most important parts of the text.
I know it’s big and scary-looking, but it’s absolutely worth reading if you’re a recently qualified investigator, law enforcement agent or forensic analyst. Check it out.
Practical Forensic Imaging by Bruce Nikkel
Any book that begins with a foreword by Eoghan Casey is almost guaranteed to be a vital and immensely useful read in the field of digital forensics, and Practical Forensic Imaging is no exception.
The need to securely preserve digital evidence is of the utmost importance to any investigator, particularly in criminal cases where findings may need to be upheld in a courtroom situation. Despite the huge impact of this subject matter, however, there have been precious few books on the topic to date. Luckily, Practical Forensic Imaging steps in to fill the gap.
The idea behind the book is not only to give forensic examiners a thorough understanding of why securing digital evidence is so important, but to provide practical steps that aid this process in a way that is scalable and financially viable.
Quite a laudable goal, and yet Nikkel’s textbook does just that. It’s a really useful reference for digital forensic analysts and will make an excellent addition to any bookshelf.
Read my full review on Forensic Focus
Mobile Forensic Investigations by Lee Reiber
The subtitle of this book is A Guide to Evidence Collection, Analysis and Presentation – a grand aim considering the scope of the subject matter. ‘Mobile devices’ these days is an umbrella term covering an overwhelming amount of evidence.
However, the book does it justice. It’s an in-depth guide and one that’s unusually easy to read for something so technical.
I recommend Mobile Forensic Investigations as a practical, readable and highly useful guidebook for new and experienced investigators alike.
Read my full review on Forensic Focus
Learning iOS Forensics by Mattia Epifani & Pasquale Stirparo
Learning iOS Forensics is a practical textbook that aims to help digital forensics examiners of all levels to get to grips with the procedures involved in forensically analysing iOS devices. And yes, OK, my friends wrote it, but that’s not the only reason why I like it.
The book opens with a preface, which describes how the various sections are set out and delineates the recommended audience. It explains that the book can either be read sequentially or used as a reference work in ongoing investigations. My own experience of reading the book would back this up – I read it from cover to cover and found it to be an excellent resource for iOS forensics, both as someone who had not yet come across an iOS device in an investigation, and as someone who is interested in digital forensics as a discipline.
This is a highly useful book for digital forensic exmainers of all levels, and recommended reading for students and professionals.
Read my full review on Forensic Focus
The Art Of Memory Forensics by Ligh, Case, Levy & Walters
If there are a handful of true memory forensics experts in the world, it’s the team behind Volatility. For those unfamiliar with the area, Volatility is an open-source project that allows people to analyse memory samples from a variety of operating systems. The Art of Memory Forensics is essentially a Volatility handbook, but it’s also much more than that.
This book is both in-depth and accessible – the kind of line that’s really hard to walk, especially in such a technical discipline.
Starting out from absolute beginner level, describing the architecture of a PC and the basics of memory, the book then goes on to talk people through all the information they’ll need to conduct their own memory forensic examinations.
100% recommended for digital forensicators of all levels.
What are your favourite digital forensics books?
