Information Forensics is the science of investigation into systemic processes that produce information. Systemic processes utilize primarily computing and communication technologies to capture, treat, store and transmit data. Manual processes complement technology systems at every stage of system processes; e.g. from data entry to verification of computations, and management of communications to backing-up information reports. In context, both technology and manual systems, with systemic processes that are either proprietary by design or evolved inconsequentially, constitute the enterprise Information System. The complexity of enterprise business systems, in particular those augmented with technology and legacy systems, often are susceptible to fraud, abuse, mistakes, and sabotage. In computing, a process is, roughly speaking, a task being run by a computer, often simultaneously with many other tasks. ... Information is a word which has many different meanings in everyday usage and in specialized contexts, but as a rule, the concept is closely related to others such as data, instruction, knowledge, meaning, communication, representation, and mental stimulus. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... For the Macintosh operating system, which was called System up to version 7. ... Proprietary indicates that a party exercises private ownership, control or use over an item of property, usually to the exclusion of other parties. ... A legacy system is an antiquated computer system or application program which continues to be used because the user (typically an organisation) does not want to replace or redesign it. ... Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ...

Information forensic investigation dwells into the aspects of creation, operation and evolution of the enterprise information system. Specifically, investigation focuses on causal factors and processes that govern the life cycle implementation of such systems. Forensic investigation may be initiated when a system is suspect or compromised; generally, investigation occurs when a system fails. Investigations normally concentrate on specific problem areas or components of a system; the intricacies of business systems, costs and resources available, often preclude detail examination of the whole information system. Nevertheless, bringing about scientific examination of facts when problems occur is only prudent, but necessary for the court of law. The methodological approach to investigation at present is the subject of research interest and topical development. A phylogenetic tree of all living things, based on rRNA gene data, showing the separation of the three domains, bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, as described initially by Carl Woese. ... The term information system has the following meanings: 1. ... A causal system is a system that depends only on the current and previous inputs. ... Forensics or forensic science is the application of science to questions which are of interest to the legal system. ... A detective is an officer of the police who performs criminal or administrative investigations, in some police departments, the lowest rank among such investigators (above the lowest rank of officers and below sergeants), a civilian licensed to investigate information not readily available in public records (a private investigator, also called... The law of costs is typical of common law jurisdictions. ... Resources comprise the base material for an activity or industry: See resource (economics) for the term as used in economics See human capital for human resources (HR) and innovation See natural resources for material matter See resource (computer science) for the computer science meaning of resources This is a disambiguation... For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). ... Facts is one of the following: The plural of the word fact. ... This article is about courts of law. ...

The following discourse highlights some of the issues in Information Forensics that includes:

• Adherence to conventions
• Dealing with parties of interest
• Technology and systems design

Investigation Concerns

Investigations characteristically seek to identify the perpetrators, uncover the processes that lead to the creation of the system in question, and understand the operational or systemic processes on information that resulted in the problem i.e. to clarify and document the erroneous processes. Investigation may distinguish the causes of failures that include fraudulent intent, negligence, abuse of power, sabotage and terror. Problems that warrant forensic investigations normally are catastrophic system failures, but also include doubtful system operations, anomalous events or just exceptional investigations on matters of compliance. In law, negligence is a type of tort or delict that can be either criminal or civil in nature. ... Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ... For the state of pronounced fear, see terror. ... Catastrophic is also the term given to any song routine in the Dance Dance Revolution video game series that has a foot-rating of nine. ... An anomaly is a deviation from the common rule. ... Compliance can mean: In mechanical science, the inverse of stiffness (see stiffness). ...

The design of the system in its entirety or in parts, and the modification of the system either through amendments of existing design or inclusion of new system modules in all sorts of manner, are considered vulnerable phases of systems development. In spite of regulatory constraints, stringent checks, standardization, proven methods, professional edicts, assurance contracts, and other forms of preventive measures, systems continue to fail. Standardization, in the context related to technologies and industries, is the process of establishing a technical standard among competing entities in a market, where this will bring benefits without hurting competition. ... An edict is an announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism. ...

A widely speculated accusation of common causes of failure of typically in-house developed information systems is due to the unwarranted influence of certain system users with vested interests. Systems development processes are often swayed to implement deliberated functions to serve the needs of such users. A form of abuse. Look up failure on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Influence Science and Practice (ISBN 0321188950) is a Psychology book examining the key ways people can be influenced by Compliance Professionals. The books authors is Robert B. Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University. ... Vested Interest usually refers to people with a financial involvement in the particular matter being assessed. ... In general, a function is part of an answer to a question about why some object or process occurred in a system that evolved or was designed with some goal. ...

Abuse of Power. Strategic exploitation of information is recognized as a source of influence. The manner of how information is acquired, processed and used, gives rise to power. The process as a whole in particular is of interest to information investigators. In order to fully comprehend technology and information systems that afford power play, investigators must be well versed in disciplines that include psychology, sociology, ethnicity, linguistics, and organizations. Other fields of interest include ethics, theology and beliefs, epistemology, knowledge engineering, and knowledge management. Some aspects of technical consideration, specifically in the field of Information Systems, broadly include close examination of systems development processes i.e. applied standards and models, the system or business processes, and the information or business domain itself. This article discusses the economic concept of exploitation. ... Sociologists usually define power as the ability to impose ones Will on others, even if those others resist in some way. ... Psychology (ancient Greek: psyche = soul or mind, logos/-ology = study of) is an academic and applied field involving the study of mind and behavior. ... Social interactions of people and their consequences are the subject of sociology studies. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... Linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and someone who engages in this study is called a linguist. ... Alternative meaning: Organisation (band). ... Ethics is the branch of axiology – one of the four major branches of philosophy, alongside metaphysics, epistemology, and logic – which attempts to understand the nature of morality; to define that which is right from that which is wrong. ... Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Belief is assent to a proposition. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ... Knowledge engineering is a relatively new branch of software engineering. ... // Definitions of Knowledge Management There is nothing essentially new in the basic concept of managing knowledge, even though as a new discipline it has emerged only recently and, given its newness is still developing its theoretical home. ... For the Macintosh operating system, which was called System up to version 7. ... Development has meaning in several contexts: Science and Engineering Biological development of embryos in the context of developmental biology Child development or post-natal human development (pediatrics, etc) Software engineering, the methodology and process of development of computer software Technology development in industry, as in Software development New product development... The word standard has several meanings: Classically, standard referred to a flag or banner; especially, a national or other ensign carried into battle; thus standard bearer indicates the one who bears, or carries, the standard. ... Model may refer to more than one thing : For models in society, art, fashion, and cosmetics, see; role model model (person) supermodel figure drawing modeling section In science and technology, a model (abstract) is understood as an abstract or theoretical representation of a phenomenon,see; geologic modeling model (economics) model... Domain has several meanings: // General some kind of territory, such as (for example) a demesne or a realm synonymous with field, e. ...

Stakeholders of Information and Systems

Stakeholders of information and owners of information systems typically by and large are converged at certain geographical locations, bound by local legislations, professionalism and customary norms. Their action upon information at their disposal and control of their systems however affect a greater multitude of users, many whom are from elsewhere and practice differing norms. What is acceptable, as permissible practices in dealing with information and information systems, may be perceived even established legally as forbidden by others. A profession is a specialized work function within society, generally performed by a professional. ... For an article on the meaning of this term in the field of law, see custom_(law). ... The word norm coming from the latin word norma which means angle measure or (lawlike) rule, has a number of meanings: A social or sociological norm; see norm (sociology). ...

Information Users

Users are the target of information propagation and generally considered victims of circumstances. However, users are also benefactors in the manipulation of business information. Users too, are stakeholders of information.

Manipulation and consumption of information involve the intervention of information stakeholders at every stage of the information value chain. Two channels of control (generally) run parallel alongside information processes, one shapes the other regulates the information system. The value chain was described and popularized by Michael Porter in his 1985 best-seller: Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. ... A plan is a proposed or intended method of getting from one set of circumstances to another. ...

Information Processes

Information system processes are essentially viewed as a black box of algorithms and procedures, proprietary and never disclosed. This notion brings about conflicting arguments and questions on the intentions, implementation and operations of certain information systems. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Flowcharts are often used to represent algorithms. ... A procedure is a series of activities, tasks, steps, decisions, calculations and other processes, that when undertaken in the sequence laid down produces the described result, product or outcome. ... Intent in law is the planning and desire to perform an act. ...

Investigation of information processes emphasises examination of the following, categorically:

1. Development approach to the creation of information processes or systems.
2. Information process itself, e.g. functions, procedures, etc.
3. Interaction of processes within a system.
4. Interaction of processes among systems.
5. the business context.
6. the local environment.

Technology Systems

Legacy systems are generally designed to serve the businesses they are commissioned for. And not intended to trace the development of the system itself, which if ever done is performed by another system.

Technology systems in itself enable investigators to gather facts of misdeed, though with some difficulties.

Methods and Standards

Established standards govern the creation, modification, operation and retirement of information systems. Standard methods however are commonly adapted and modified to suit local or specific requirements. The prerogative of how standards are actually implemented rests entirely with the stakeholders of the system in question. Contractors too have a role to play. What really transpires in the process of development is transparent and will never be known; yet investigators need to uncover the facts. Although contracts are used to define and measure means and deliverables, the actual approach to resolution is often ignored so long as business objectives are met. The word standard has several meanings: Originally, standard referred to a conspicuous object used as a rallying point in battle. ... Introduction The Baconian method is the investigative method developed by Francis Bacon. ... A contractor is in a legal sense one who enters into a binding agreement to perform a certain service or provide a certain product in exchange for valuable consideration, usually money but sometimes other goods or services in a barter arrangement. ... In human-computer interaction, computer transparency is an aspect of user friendliness which prevents the user from worrying about technical details (like installation, updating, downloading or device drivers). ... A contract is any promise or set of promises made by one party to another for the breach of which the law provides a remedy. ...

Legal action requires comprehensive explanation and understanding of probable causes and effects of a forensic situation. In this arena, information management across a multitude of people and systems is vastly differentiated, necessitates investigators to possess the appropriate knowledge and understanding of how information resources interact to investigate effectively. The lack of formal expository methods makes this new field rather desirable. Resources comprise the base material for an activity or industry: See resource (economics) for the term as used in economics See human capital for human resources (HR) and innovation See natural resources for material matter See resource (computer science) for the computer science meaning of resources This is a disambiguation...

Application of Information Forensics

Some examples of specific application of the science of information forensics in a systemic context include the following:

• Bioinformatics
• Cryptography, see Cryptographic engineering
• Information systems forensics
• Information traversing Pervasive systems
• Information traversing Ubiquitous networks and computing environments
• Intelligence, Command channels
• Musicology, in Music business
• Review of compliance
• Theological research
• Trace, Information trace

Bioinformatics or computational biology is the use of techniques from applied mathematics, informatics, statistics, and computer science to solve biological problems. ... Cryptography has had a long and colourful history. ... This article is an overview of cryptographic engineering which notes at least some of the differences between ordinary engineering and the cryptographic sort. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The music industry is the industry that creates and performs music, both in the form of compositions and performances. ... The word trace has several meanings: in linear algebra, the trace of a square matrix A is the sum of its main diagonal elements. ...

What is and is Not Information Forensics

Information forensics encompasses information systems forensics and computer forensics. Information forensics deals with system processes, human factors, and applied methodologies and standards. Arguably information forensics concerns the use of technology, formal methods, and implicating factors which are largely human in nature. Computer forensics is the process of investigating data storage devices and/or data processing equipment typically a home computer, laptop, server, office workstation, or removable media such as compact discs, to determine if the equipment has been used for illegal, unauthorized, or unusual activities. ... In computer science, formal methods refers to mathematically based techniques for the specification, development and verification of software and hardware systems (Foldoc:formalmethods). ...

In fundamental research, information forensics examines the extraction and analysis of information for security applications (IEEE SPS). Fundamental areas of interest include attack models, cryptanalysis, steganalysis, steganography; audio engineering, authentication, human identification, performance metrics, signal classification, surveillance, transaction tracking, etc. Cryptanalysis (from the Greek kryptós, hidden, and analýein, to loosen or to untie) is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information without access to the secret information which is normally required to do so. ... Steganalysis is the art and science of detecting messages hidden using steganography; this is comparable to cryptanalysis applied to cryptography. ... Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one apart from the intended recipient knows of the existence of the message; this is in contrast to cryptography, where the existence of the message itself is not disguised, but the meaning is obscured. ... Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the production of sound through mechanical means. ... Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior. ...

Other Sources of Reading

• on Information Systems Forensics (need to register)
• IEEE Editors' Information Classification: Signal Processing Society on Information Forensics
• Information Systems Security Association for information security professionals and practitioners
• UK The Forensic Science Service
• US NIJ General forensics research and development
• search Google for more information
• InfoSec Institute Computer Forensics Training Hands on training and certification
• Information Forensics - Terms & Definitions