Assignment: Data Acquisition Lecture

This assignment consists of two (2) parts: a written paper and a PowerPoint presentation. You must submit both parts as separate files for the completion of this assignment. Label each file name according to the section of the assignment it is written for. Additionally, you may create and / or assume all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Imagine you've been sought out as a guest lecturer at a local university for a computer forensics course. You have been asked to prepare a paper for the students, as well as a PowerPoint presentation, regarding data acquisition in a forensics investigation.

Part 1: Written Paper

1. Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:
a. Analyze the four (4) methods of data acquisition to determine how an investigator selects the appropriate method to use in a given situation.
b. Determine how an investigator can plan for hardware, software, and / or general failures during data acquisition.
c. Justify the necessity of validating data acquisition and determine the negative effects on an investigation if this step is not performed.
d. Describe the acquisition procedures and tools for Windows and Linux data acquisitions.
e. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
Part 2: PowerPoint Presentation

Use Microsoft PowerPoint or an open source alternative, such as OpenOffice, to:

2. Create a five to ten (5-10) slide PowerPoint presentation in which you:

a. Summarize the concepts from your written paper in Part 1 of this assignment for the lecture you would give to the class regarding data acquisition in a forensics investigation.
b. Use a professional technically written style to graphically convey the information.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Describe and analyze practices in obtaining digital evidence.
• Describe operating system configurations and techniques in a forensic investigation.
• Use technology and information resources to research advanced issues in computer forensics.
• Write clearly and concisely about topics related to computer forensics planning using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.