Data Acquisition: Support the acquisition of digital evidence from various sources, including computers, mobile devices, servers, and cloud storage.
Automated Collection: Provide tools for automated evidence collection and imaging to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Chain of Custody: Maintain a detailed log of evidence collection, including timestamps, collectors’ details, and methods used.
Evidence Management
Evidence Cataloging: Categorize and catalog digital evidence with metadata, including source, date of collection, and relevant case information.
Storage Management: Manage storage of evidence in secure, encrypted formats to preserve integrity and prevent tampering.
Access Control and Security
Role-Based Access: Implement role-based access control to restrict evidence access based on user roles and responsibilities (e.g., investigators, forensic analysts).
Audit Trails: Maintain detailed logs of all access and modifications to evidence to ensure accountability and traceability.
Evidence Analysis
Analysis Tools: Integrate with forensic analysis tools and software for examining digital evidence, including file recovery, data carving, and malware analysis.
Search and Query: Provide search functionality to query evidence based on metadata, file content, and other criteria.
Case Management
Case Creation: Allow users to create and manage case files, linking evidence to specific investigations.
Documentation: Facilitate documentation of findings, analysis results, and investigative notes within each case file.
Reporting and Documentation
Report Generation: Generate detailed reports on evidence analysis, findings, and case status, including customizable templates for different needs.
Document Management: Manage related documents, such as legal forms, witness statements, and court submissions.
Data Integrity and Verification
Checksum and Hashing: Use cryptographic techniques like checksums and hashes to verify the integrity of digital evidence.
Data Validation: Implement mechanisms to detect and prevent evidence tampering or corruption.
Compliance and Legal Support
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant legal standards and regulations for digital evidence handling and forensic analysis (e.g., ISO 27037, NIST guidelines).
Chain of Custody Documentation: Provide tools for documenting and managing the chain of custody to support legal proceedings.
User Management and Training
User Training: Provide training resources and support to ensure users are proficient in using the system and handling digital evidence.
User Support: Offer helpdesk and support services for system users.
Non-Functional Requirements
Performance
System Responsiveness: Ensure fast response times for evidence retrieval, search, and analysis functions.
Scalability: Support scaling to handle increasing volumes of evidence and users without performance degradation.
Usability
User Interface: Design an intuitive and user-friendly interface to facilitate ease of use for investigators and forensic analysts.
Accessibility: Ensure the system is accessible to users with disabilities, adhering to accessibility standards.
Reliability
System Availability: Ensure high system availability with minimal downtime, particularly during critical investigations.
Error Handling: Implement robust error handling and recovery mechanisms to manage system failures gracefully.
Security
Data Encryption: Ensure encryption of evidence data both in transit and at rest to protect against unauthorized access and tampering.
Authentication and Authorization: Implement strong authentication and authorization mechanisms to secure user access to the system.
Maintainability
Code Quality: Maintain a clean, well-documented, and modular codebase to facilitate updates, debugging, and maintenance.
Update Management: Provide a structured process for deploying updates and patches with minimal disruption.
Compatibility
Integration: Ensure compatibility with various forensic tools, software, and hardware used for evidence collection and analysis.
Platform Support: Support multiple operating systems and devices used by forensic professionals.
Compliance
Standards Adherence: Adhere to industry standards and best practices for digital forensic evidence management and security.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements for digital evidence handling.
Backup and Recovery
Data Backup: Implement regular backups of system data, evidence, and configurations to prevent data loss.
Disaster Recovery: Develop and maintain a disaster recovery plan to restore system functionality and data in case of major failures.
