Verba volant, data etiam!
Computer systems and applications have become foundational components of modern businesses and institutions. As these inclinations continue to grow, the significance of managing and preserving logs within Information Technology (IT) systems has gradually gained ultimate importance. The meticulous logging, monitoring and preservation of IT data facilitates effective and efficient investigation processes, particularly in digital forensics, a branch of forensics science gathering, preserving, and analyzing system vulnerabilities, attacks and potential evidence of cybercrime.
In this article I lean towards a comprehensive discussion on the significance of appropriate logging of IT systems and applications, highlighting the necessity of preserving a ”crime scene” within a forensic investigation, alongside explicating how logs play a vital role in acquiring, preserving, and inspecting electronic data.
What makes logs important
For starters, logs provide a historical representation of activities, occurrences, and operations within an IT system or application. These digital footprints march crucially in diagnosing system errors, troubleshooting software glitches, and identifying abnormalities in system behavior. They offer a comprehensive record of events, aiding the identification of anomalies or potential attacks, while providing a road map for actions taken prior to, during, and after an incident.
Preserving a “crime scene” in a digital forensic investigation has immense significance to the successful resolution of cyber incident cases. Much like the concept of a physical crime scene, the crime scene in digital forensics refers to the precise state of data and the system at the moment a potential or actual incident occurs. Preserving this digital environment allows for the meticulous analysis and tracking of operations conducted on the digital systems that could lead to the potential perpetrator. Loss or corruption of logs risks the loss of crucial insights and tools that are essential in identifying, analyzing, and resolving the incident.
Acquiring, preserving, and inspecting logs are all interconnected and crucial to forensic investigations. Accurate and holistic log collection from computing resources provides a wealth of information for analysis in case of an information security incident. It grants investigators access to the information that is vital for identifying and analysing digital crimes and potential system vulnerabilities. Thus, storing these logs in a reasonable period plays an important role during a digital investigation. It takes organizations approx. 200 days[1] on average to detect a data breach. Also, according to different legislations and laws around the globe, organizations are obliged to report a data breach. If the logs are not managed effectively, it may result with failing to identify cyber security incidents and failing to fulfil reporting obligations.
Storing logs isn’t enough
Once relevant logs have been identified and captured, preserving these logs in a secure and unaltered state becomes paramount. This ensures that original digital evidence remains untampered, allowing for the most accurate and reliable inspection and analysis at later stages.
Moreover, the evaluation of auditable and preserved log files can reveal a timeline of events, enabling professionals to reconstruct the scenario and pinpoint the cause of the security incident. This process often includes identifying unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction of data, and even tracing the origin of the attack in some cases. Through these actions, expert investigators can decipher the “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “how” of security incidents, turning ambiguous activities into defined actions with identified sources.
In conclusion, the importance of appropriate logging within IT systems and applications cannot be overstated. It forms the backbone of digital forensics and plays an incredibly pivotal role in investigating systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and responding to security incidents. As the complexity and volume of digital crimes and threats continue to increase, the value of meticulous log management in forensic investigations becomes a vital necessity in a digital world, underlining the need for enterprises to adopt adequate measures to ensure proper logging, preservation, and inspection of their IT systems and applications.
Don’t forget. Words fly away, so does data.
[1] I reviewed the reports of IBM and Verizon and blog of Mimecast to identify this information.
