Forensic Blogs

An aggregator for digital forensics blogs

December 31, 2020 by LCDI

Cybersecurity Tips For The New Year

2020 was a year filled with change and learning how to adapt our ways into COVID-19 protocol friendly ones. With these changes, many people started moving their lives to be online. Work meetings, education of all levels, shopping, and even holiday events became remote. With the increase in internet use, cybersecurity professionals saw cybercrimes committed at an all-time high.

That made this past Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October even more valuable than ever. The National Cyber Security Alliance, in partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, created this year’s theme of “Do Your Part and Be Cyber Smart”.

Our Leahy Center employees decided to be apart of this semester’s virtual events by submitting their tips for the five topics of the do your part theme. For the New Year, we decided to share two of the themes and our tips on how to stay safe. The students range in different positions, majors, and academic years, but all provide great wisdom for anyone looking to stay safe online.

Theme 1: If You Connect It, Protect It

The prompt was described as If you connect it, protect it. The line between our online and offline lives is indistinguishable. This network of connections creates both opportunities and challenges for individuals and organizations across the globe. The first week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will highlight how internet-connected devices have impacted our lives and will empower all users to own their role in security by taking steps to reduce their risks. Our students said:

“With more and more of our appliances connected to the internet, including locks, mailboxes, refrigerators, watches, and much more, physical security and cybersecurity are becoming the same. To maintain physical security in this world of smart devices, you have to educate yourself about good cybersecurity practices, too. As great as it is that you can lock your door remotely, it’s vital to consider the risks of what somebody could do with unauthorized access to these tools you’re using. Before buying a new smart device, consider these risks. Do some research on the manufacturer’s history in cybersecurity. Ask yourself if the convenience is worth the risks associated with it. Understanding the risks is crucial.”

Sawyer Zundel ’23 // Computer & Digital Forensics

We buy a lot of stuff online these days. Often we may be on a risky website without realizing it. If you are purchasing anything online, make sure the website’s link begins with “HTTPS://” as opposed to “HTTP://”. The “s” at the end of “HTTP” stands for secure. So any transitions on a website that uses “HTTP” would be unsecured. The Chrome and Firefox add-on/extensions “HTTPS everywhere” is a useful tool to help ensure this if you are unsure.

Blaise Notter ’23 // Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Theme 2: Securing Devices at Home and Work

Week 2 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month was described as: focusing on steps users and organizations can take to protect internet-connected devices for personal and professional use. With more people now working from home, these two internet-connected environments are colliding on a scale we’ve never seen before. This introduces a whole new set of potential vulnerabilities that users must be conscious of.

“The best way to protect users’ information is to be cautious. The first step would be to use a password when possible. Better yet different passwords so if one account is breached, they all aren’t. The next step would be to not give out information unless needed and to a trusted individual. This means not going to suspicious websites, where info can be stolen by force. As well as being cautious that a website is who they say they are.”

Spencer Bellucci ’22 // Computer Science

“Nowadays, VPN’s have gotten to the point where they are extremely cheap and relatively fast. Whether you are at home or surfing the internet at a Starbucks, the added protection is defiantly worth the $3 a month. It will protect you from various tracking threats/ annoyances by encrypting all of the traffic that leaves your computer. When shopping around for one, I would look for one that does not keep logs of its user’s data as well as has software that works on most devices. The two I have used and recommend the most are TorGuard and Private Internet Access (PIA).”

Thomas Autiello ’23 // Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Other Tips: Students WANT You To Know

With the rise in interconnected devices, it’s important to remember that anything connected to the outside world can be attacked. Taking simple steps such as secure passwords and using password-protected Wi-Fi signals can help immensely when it comes to the security of any device.

Miranda Evans ’22 // Computer & Digital Forensics

Most people keep their life online — whether it be through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or others — so it is always important to remember that the online world is no different than the “real” world. This includes the information you post publicly, from photos, dates, friends, statuses, addresses, and more. At face value, it is fun to use social media outlets to express yourself and snap a photo here and there or use it to promote communication, but everyone must do their part to protect themselves and those around them regarding the information they post. Would you post your phone number on your front lawn? Would you print a map of the local places you’ve been, and with whom, to hand out at your grocery store? Though this information is expressive and fun to share with friends, there are always opportunities for unwanted attention from others when you post it online.

Alexandra Cartwright ’22 // Computer & Digital Forensics

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The post Cybersecurity Tips For The New Year appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.

Read the original at: The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & CybersecurityFiled Under: Digital Forensics, Uncategorized Tagged With: Cyber Security, Cyber Security Higher Education Program, cybercime, Student Work

December 18, 2020 by LCDI

Leahy Center Thrilled to be Celebrating Ten Year Anniversary!

It’s our anniversary! It’s been 10 years since the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity first opened their doors, building off of Champlain College’s nearly decade-long initiative to educate students and support professionals in the field of digital forensics and cybersecurity. Over that time we’ve seen over 400 students come through our doors and leave as trained professionals, taking on the world. To celebrate, we’d like to take a look back at where we’ve come from, where we are now, and what the future might hold. 

Leahy Center might have started back in 2010, Champlain’s drive to train students in the up and coming field of computer forensics started way back in 2002. From this, the Computer and Digital Forensics degree path was born. This gave Champlain College students a shoe in the door to a pivotal field in an increasingly technological world.

The Beginning Champlain College Lakeside CampusChamplain College Lakeside Campus

In 2006 Champlain College sponsored a number of initiatives and partnerships among academia, the public sector, and the private sector. This was to help support law enforcement as they take on cybercrime. This initiative became the Champlain College Center for Digital Investigation, or the C3DI for short. Under the supervision of Professor Gary Kessler, Champlain College performed a similar task to the Leahy Center now, undertaking research to help all sectors, public, private, and academia, to help defend against growing cyber threats and advance the field of cybersecurity. In order to accomplish this goal, Champlain College worked hard to further develop Vermont’s capacity to combat cybercrime, a field it was previously lacking in. This extended to the Vermont public as well, with reports and research available for public research.

Champlain College, in 2009, opens its Master of Science in Digital Investigation Management, marking a shift in vision to accommodate professionals looking for more knowledge and experience in the management of digital investigation firms. Because of it’s ingenuity, the program solved a crucial problem in the industry. While programs like Champlain’s Cybersecurity undergraduate degree program fostered a burgeoning workforce in the field, the program needed more outreach to protect the public from cyber threats. This management program enabled professionals to do more than offer their services; it helped them start and manage their own firms, to which trained professionals could use to extend their reach to previously unaided areas. 

The Start of the LCDI

In June of 2010, Champlain submitted a grant to the U.S. Department of Justice. In September, the D.O.J awarded this grant to the tune of $500,000. The goal was to further bolster Vermont’s digital forensic capacity, working to increase the skill and ability of digital forensic examiners, detectives, law enforcement, and judiciary officials in regards to the acquisition and evaluation of digital forensic evidence. It was this year we saw a shift in leadership, with Jonathan Rajewski and Michal Wilkinson serving as Co-Directors.

2011 saw many changes to the C3DI. With the help of the DoJ grant and additional funding from Champlain College, over 100 students were able to apply to work for the C3DI. The opening of Champlain’s Lakeside Administrative Center gave the program dedicated office space and the utilities to further its goal.

Leahy Center for Digital Investigation dedicationLeahy Center for Digital Investigation Dedication

During this time, the C3DI was renamed the Leahy Center for Digital Investigation (LCDI), in honor of Senator Patrick Leahy. Leahy worked to secure over a million dollars in funding for the program through various grants. These grants bolstered the LCDI’s workforce and provided cybersecurity support for the local community. Some of the LCDI’s first projects were systems for the management and backup of digital forensic evidence. These were primarily for Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (or VTICAC). Also being developed were tools to help the general public. For example, we developed a tool that enabled a user to configure access to and view important information on their Kindle. 

What we’ve done so far: Virtual flipbook looking back at our 10yr history.

Over the past decade, we’ve done many more projects, including but not limited to:

-Training modules for cybersecurity software

-Benchmarks for digital forensic machines

-Creation, review, and approval of various cybersecurity tools in use by the state of Vermont

…and many more! We’ve hired great staff, such as Project Manager Joseph Williams and Senior Digital Forensics Analyst Alex Caron. We’re proud to say that, by the end of our grant, we created six unique training modules. These programs related to new digital forensic tools and the understanding of forensic reports. We were also able to use our work to secure funding for years to come.

Our Present and Future

In 2019 we saw many shifts in the makeup of the LCDI. For starters, the name changed once more to its current name: The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity. This was done to be closer in line with the focus of the program and a wider mission. Adam Goldstein was named the Executive Director of the Leahy Center, with Joseph Williams taking the helm as Managing Director and Alex Caron taking over as Professional Services Director. Students from all across the world have come to work in our program, and we couldn’t be more thankful. 

FBI Director visits Champlain CollegeFBI Director James Comey visit’s the Leahy Center

Moving forward, we’re planning on further strengthening our outreach with local partners. In the words of Director Goldstein, the Leahy Center is especially interested in “developing programs where our students are helping design and create training and other educational resources”, supporting the local community while pushing the horizon of digital forensic research. 

Bowling NightBowling Night

We’ve come a long way from where we began. We owe it to our amazing students, our spectacular faculty, and everyone who helped make this program a reality. Thank you, and we’ll see you in 2021!

Stay up to date with the Leahy Center by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

The post Leahy Center Thrilled to be Celebrating Ten Year Anniversary! appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.

Read the original at: The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & CybersecurityFiled Under: Digital Forensics, Uncategorized Tagged With: anniversary, Blog Post, Update

December 16, 2020 by LCDI

My Experience on The VPN Comparison Team

By Miles Campbell

We were able to learn a lot from our research into the VPNs, but I also received a lot of great experience from my first semester at the Leahy Center.

As the semester came to a close, my team finished polishing up our presentation. We decided to use Google Slides to create our presentation. This allowed us to all work on it at the same time. Additionally, all of us would have access to it, even if no one else was online.

What I Gained From my Experience

For starters, I believe this project has helped me learn how to create a professional presentation. I learned that presenting research in this setting is far different than in school. The work we’re doing at the Leahy Center is important, which adds weight when you’re trying to present it. It makes it much more stressful to try and make something great, but it pushed me into doing really good quality work.

Since this is my first semester as an intern, I was also taking a class with Mark Zammuto. This class was connected to my internship, and for it I created another presentation, along with my teammates Derek Farrell and KCMalinda Hlordsz. We presented to the other first semester interns over Google Meets. This further built upon some of the experiences I had gotten from my Leahy Center presentation. It also allowed me to compare my work directly with other intern’s works.

Overall, my first semester here at the Leahy Center was a great experience for me. I learned skills that I wouldn’t have otherwise learned in a classroom alone. My team and the rest of the Leahy Center staff have been nothing but supportive of me and my learning. I look forward to working with the rest of the team in the future, and I hope all my colleagues have a happy holiday break!

Stay up to date with the Leahy Center by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

The post My Experience on The VPN Comparison Team appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.

Read the original at: The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & CybersecurityFiled Under: Digital Forensics, Uncategorized Tagged With: Blog Post, experience, first year, research, vpn, VPN/Proxy Chain

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