Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines |
Trimester | T2 2024 |
Unit Code | MN624 |
Unit Title | Digital Forensic |
Assessment Type | Formative Assignment 1 |
Assessment Title | Digital Forensics Investigation |
Purpose of the assessment (with ULO Mapping) | This assignment assessesthe following Unit Learning Outcomes; studentsshould be able to demonstrate their achievements in them. – Apply socio-technical contexts in analysing the digital forensic evidences. |
Weight | 10% |
Total Marks | 100 |
Word limit | 500 – 1000 words |
Due Date | Week 3 (4/8/2024) |
Submission Guidelines | • Submit Assignment 1 in a word document in week 3 • All work must be submitted on Moodle by the due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page. • The assignment must be in MS Word format, 1.5 spacing, 11-pt Calibri (Body) font, and 2 cm margins on all foursides of your page with appropriate section headings. • Reference sources must be cited in the text of the report, and listed appropriately at the end in a reference list using IEEE referencing style. |
Extension | • If an extension of time to submit work is required, a Special Consideration Application must be submitted directly on AMS. You must submit this application three working days prior to the due date of the assignment. Further information is available at: |
Academic Misconduct | • Academic Misconduct is a serious offence. Depending on the seriousness of the case, penalties can vary from a written warning orzero marksto exclusion from the course or rescinding the degree. Students should make themselves familiar with the full policy and procedure available at: For further information, please refer to the Academic Integrity Section in your Unit Description. |
Use of Generative Arti ficial Intelligence (GenAI) in Assessments | More information about the use of Gen AI in student assessment can be found in the full policy and procedure available at Further support can be found in the Further details on the type of assessment tasks, and whether Gen AI is permitted to be used or not are provided in the assessment brief. |
Assignment Description
Assignment 1 is a formative assessment, and students must submit the assignment by the end of week 3.
In December 2020, a significant cyberattack known as the SolarWinds cyberattack was uncovered, affecting numerous organizations, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Your task is to research and write a report on the above crime that requires digital forensics investigation.
In your report, you must address the necessary steps to ensure that digital evidence is collected, preserved, imaged, and can be examined. Yourreport should be 500 – 1000 words and should include the following sections:
1. Provide a detailed description of the case.
a. Summary of the offence being investigated.
b. Identify what caused the SolarWinds hack.
c. Report who wasinvolved in the crime, i.e. who was the criminal(s), the suspect(s) and the victim(s)?
d. Identify and report what type of evidence was used in the criminal investigation of the case;
e. Explain two acquisition methods that you should use in this case study.
f. Discuss some options that can be used for preserving the data.
2. Explain the importance of a chain of custody for digital forensic evidence. Be sure to explain the process of documenting, collecting and storing evidence from the crime scene you’re investigating (e.g. a laptop computer). Describe the consequences of not following a proper chain of custody.
3. Discuss the procedures for the preservation of evidence; be sure to connect this work with the chain of custody. Describe consequences of not carefully preserving evidence. 4. List and analyse the tools you will need in your investigation and the reason you chose those tools. Support this analysis with relevant research. Critically evaluate the forensic tool(s) and discuss their capacity in various categories of functions, including acquisition, validation, and verification, extraction, reconstruction, and reporting.
Additional instructions:
• Do not use Wikipedia as neither source nor reference.
• Read articles from the books or the ones published in journals and conferences, or internet articles for each topic and then rewrite those using your own words.
• Use IEEE style referencing, and make sure to properly reference any diagrams/ graphics.
Marking Criteria:
Sections No. | Description of the section | Marks |
Description of the case | • Summary of the offence being investigated • Report who wasinvolved in the crime, i.e. who was the criminal(s), the suspect(s) and the victim(s)? • Identify and report whattype of evidence was used in the criminal investigation of the case; • Explain two acquisition methods that you should use in this case study. • Discuss some options that can be used for preserving the data. | 10 10 10 10 10 |
Importance of a chain | • Explain the importance of a chain of custody for digital forensic evidence. Be sure to explain the process of documenting, collecting and storing evidence from the crime scene you’re investigating (e.g. a laptop computer). • Describe the consequences of not following a proper chain of custody. | 10 10 |
Preservation | • Discuss the procedures for the preservation of evidence; be sure to connect this work with the chain of custody. • Describe consequences of not carefully preserving evidence. | 5 5 |
Forensics Tools | • List and analyze the digital forensic tools you will need in your investigation and the reason you chose those tools. Support this analysis with relevant research. • Critically evaluate the capacity of the forensic tool in various categories of functions, including acquisition, validation, and verification, extraction, reconstruction, and reporting. | 10 10 |
| | Total | 100 |
Marking Rubric for Exercise Answers
Grade Mark | HD 80%+ | D 70%-79% | CR 60%-69% | P 50%-59% | Fail < 50% |
| | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
Description of the case /50 | The case is well prepared. All topics are pertinent and covered in depth. | The case is relevant and soundly analysed. | Generally relevant and analysed. | Some relevance and briefly presented. | This is not relevant to the assignment topic. |
Importance of a chain /20 | The presented solution demonstrated an extreme degree of difficulty that would require an expert to implement. | The presented solution demonstrated a high degree of difficulty that would be an advance professional to implement. | The presented solution demonstrated an average degree of difficulty that would be an average professional to implement. | The presented solution demonstrated a low degree of difficulty that would be easy to implement. | The presented solution demonstrated a poor degree of difficulty that would be too easy to implement. |
Preservation /10 | All elements are present and well integrated. | Components present with good cohesion | Components present and mostly well integrated | Most components present | This is not relevant to the assignment topic. |
Forensics Tools /20 | Exceptional Result Discussion and comparative analysis | Very good Result Discussion and comparative analysis | Good Result Discussion and comparative analysis | Fair Result Discussion and comparative analysis | Unable to discuss Results and do comparative analysis |
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