Digital Forensic Investigation,
2022
Norfolk State University
Digital Forensic Investigation, Dejuan Green
Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase
Finding, acquiring, processing, analyzing, and reporting data on electronically stored data is the main goal of the forensic science discipline known as "digital forensics." Nearly all illegal acts include the use of electronic evidence, making digital forensics support essential for law enforcement investigations. Furthermore, digital forensics is very important to cases aiding in many cases and can lead to saving lives/ victims and locking up criminals. A wide range of devices, including laptops, cellphones, remote storage, unmanned aerial systems, shipborne equipment, and more, can be used to gather electronic evidence. [2] Digital forensics' major objective is to take data from …
Development Of An Expert Algorithm For Substance Identification (Easi) To Discriminate Between Spectrally Similar Fentanyl Analogs In Mass Spectrometry,
2022
West Virginia University
Development Of An Expert Algorithm For Substance Identification (Easi) To Discriminate Between Spectrally Similar Fentanyl Analogs In Mass Spectrometry, Alexandra Adeoye
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Fentanyl is an opioid that is about 100 times more potent than morphine, and its analogs are just as potent, and some like carfentanil are even more so potent. In recent years, fentanyl and its analogs have been responsible for over 50% of overdose-related deaths. In response, the DEA has placed all fentanyl analogs as Schedule I compounds because of their non-medicinal use and high potential for abuse and physical dependence. However, fentanyl analogs have high structural and mass spectral similarities due to the extremely conservative nature of the core fentanyl structure, which makes the differentiation and identification of fentanyl …
Mtdna Heteroplasmy In Hair Shafts Versus Buccal Swabs For Forensic Applications,
2022
West Virginia University
Mtdna Heteroplasmy In Hair Shafts Versus Buccal Swabs For Forensic Applications, Sara R. Bodnar
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has several forensic applications such as criminal investigations, identification of human remains, and missing person investigations. It is also the only type of DNA that is available from certain sample types such as hair shafts. The presence of mtDNA heteroplasmy within and between tissue types can lead to mtDNA sequence differences when comparing samples originating from the same individual. Studies on mtDNA heteroplasmy are increasingly being carried out for their implications in forensic interpretation of mtDNA sequences. Specifically, mtDNA in buccal swabs compared to hair samples from one individual may show differences in sequence due to …
Assessment Of Quechers Extraction Protocol For The Lc-Ms/Ms Detection Of Emerging Fentanyl Analogs In Biological Specimens For Clinical And Forensic Purposes,
2022
West Virginia University
Assessment Of Quechers Extraction Protocol For The Lc-Ms/Ms Detection Of Emerging Fentanyl Analogs In Biological Specimens For Clinical And Forensic Purposes, Kylea M. Morris
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Drug abuse within the United States is a dynamic and pervasive issue that affects the quality and life expectancy of our society. One of the major drug classes that are constantly utilized is opioids. Opioids are prescribed for pain management in patients suffering from cancer and other medical illnesses. Long-term use of opioids could lead to tolerance in humans, which poses a risk of reaching fatal overdose levels. Unfortunately, opioids are abused recreationally, and in some instances, individuals are unaware of the presence of dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl, hidden in materials such as heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and methamphetamine. Recent …
Analysis Of Forensically Relevant Evidence Using Electrochemistry, Spectroscopy, And Mass Spectrometry Tools,
2022
West Virginia University
Analysis Of Forensically Relevant Evidence Using Electrochemistry, Spectroscopy, And Mass Spectrometry Tools, Colby Edward Ott
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Forensic science relies on the use of multiple techniques in the assessment of evidence to increase the accuracy and reliability of the results. However, with the rapidly changing drug landscape due to the introduction of novel psychoactive substances, many traditional screening methods are no longer sensitive or selective enough for use. Additionally, many screening methods such as chemical color tests are prone to false positive and negative results and are subjective. Therefore, the goal of this dissertation was to develop a novel analytical scheme that can provide a more efficient, rapid, and sensitive method that will facilitate adoption in the …
Evaluating A Test For Shedding Propensity Using Tape Lifts From Different Skin Locations,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Evaluating A Test For Shedding Propensity Using Tape Lifts From Different Skin Locations, Xiao M. Chen
Student Theses
The shedding propensity of a person can assist data interpretation in casework when assessing the possibility of passive transfer for DNA analysis. Past studies on shedding propensity evaluated palmar skin (washed and unwashed) deposits. This study compared different skin locations with respect to shedding propensity, and explored the potential of tape-lifts as a skin surface collection method. Eight different skin types and samples were collected with adhesive tape disks from 28 participants over three non-consecutive days; the washed and unwashed fingers from both hands, toe, and arm, neck below ear, and nape. Samples were extracted, quantified, amplified, genotyped, and evaluated …
Reproducibility Of Individual Dna Deposits Detected Through Cellular Fluorescence,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Reproducibility Of Individual Dna Deposits Detected Through Cellular Fluorescence, Natalee Small-Davidson
Student Theses
Contact traces are an important part of DNA casework, but the probative value of any identified associations depends on the possibility of passive transfer. There is known individual variation in DNA left behind during contact, this DNA shedding propensity has an effect on whose DNA is detected. This study evaluated this variability using a cell staining approach. Volunteers were asked to deposit a fingerprint on a clean glass slide, then wash their hands and deposit a second fingerprint after a 30-minute wait without touching anything. Three sets of samples were collected over three consecutive weeks. Fingerprints were stained with a …
The Understanding Of Digital And Multimedia Evidence (Dme) By Attorneys And Digital Forensic Examiners (Dfe) Within The United States Criminal Justice System,
2021
The University of Southern Mississippi
The Understanding Of Digital And Multimedia Evidence (Dme) By Attorneys And Digital Forensic Examiners (Dfe) Within The United States Criminal Justice System, Joseph Levi White
Dissertations
One goal of this research was to determine potential themes that may influence the understanding of Digital and Multimedia Evidence (DME) by attorneys and Digital Forensic Examiners (DFE) within the United States Criminal Justice System. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information from experienced criminal attorneys and DFEs regarding potential influences on their understanding of DME. The results of these interviews were transcribed, and the data coded to allow for qualitative analysis. Five themes were developed from this data and are thought to play a role in understanding of DME by attorneys and DFEs: motivation for involvement in the …
Detecting Gsr Indicative Particles On Decayed Bones Using A Novel Field Kit,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Detecting Gsr Indicative Particles On Decayed Bones Using A Novel Field Kit, Sven Engling
Student Theses
Decomposed human remains are complex forensic puzzles, escalating in difficulty as the remains’ age obscures evidence, like trauma. Research has shown that scanning electron microscopes with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (SEM-EDX) are capable of detecting and identifying gunshot residue (GSR) particles on bones. However, SEM-EDX work is time consuming, expensive, and not accessible to every forensic department. Therefore, a preliminary field test capable of detecting GSR indicative particles, like lead, could save departments money and assist in trauma identification. This study examines the viability of using either the 3M Lead Check Test swabs or a sodium rhodizonate solution as part …
Dna Extraction And Genotyping From Burned Skeletal Remains,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Dna Extraction And Genotyping From Burned Skeletal Remains, Kayla M. Rooney
Student Theses
In this research, bovine leg bones were burned, both with and without meat intact, in order to determine if it was possible to extract and amplify DNA to obtain profiles. The meat was burned over an open flame and the DNA was extracted using the Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Mini Kit, quantified with the NanoDrop, and amplified using the Bovine Genotypes Panel 3.1 Kit, and separated using the 3500 Genetic Analyzer. Profiles were analyzed using the Thermo Fisher Cloud Microsatellite Analysis software. The samples burned with the meat intact produced lower quantities of DNA than the bones burned with …
Effects Of Improper Ammunition Storage,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Effects Of Improper Ammunition Storage, Victoria S. Andre
Student Theses
Firearms are commonly used by law enforcement, hunters, and civilians either for protection, sport or criminal activity. Ammunition is used in traditional firearms such as rifles and handguns, and consists of a cartridge case, propellant, a bullet (projectile), and primer. The two types of priming systems within the cartridge that are commonly used today are rimfire and centerfire cartridges. There are several types of malfunctions that can occur with ammunition. Improper ammunition storage is one major factor that plays a role in ammunition failure. One form of improper ammunition storage is where the storage environment being used abruptly changes due …
Integration Of Blockchain Technology Into Automobiles To Prevent And Study The Causes Of Accidents,
2021
California State University, San Bernardino
Integration Of Blockchain Technology Into Automobiles To Prevent And Study The Causes Of Accidents, John Kim
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
Automobile collisions occur daily. We now live in an information-driven world, one where technology is quickly evolving. Blockchain technology can change the automotive industry, the safety of the motoring public and its surrounding environment by incorporating this vast array of information. It can place safety and efficiency at the forefront to pedestrians, public establishments, and provide public agencies with pertinent information securely and efficiently. Other industries where Blockchain technology has been effective in are as follows: supply chain management, logistics, and banking. This paper reviews some statistical information regarding automobile collisions, Blockchain technology, Smart Contracts, Smart Cities; assesses the feasibility …
The Influence Of Demographic Information On Public Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
The Influence Of Demographic Information On Public Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses, Emily Bogdan
Student Theses
Research exploring the factors that shape public attitudes towards individuals who commit sexual offenses is needed to inform policy and reduce stigma that these individuals face as they reenter society. Prior research has explored demographic factors of those who offend and have been victimized, but few have studied how these variables may interact with one another to shape attitudes toward people who commit sexual offenses. The current study explores whether offender gender, victim gender, and victim age shape the public’s attitudes towards these individuals. Participants were presented with a vignette describing the offense and then they were asked to respond …
Detecting Child Sexual Abuse Images: Traits Of Child Sexual Exploitation Hosting And Displaying Websites,
2021
San Jose State University
Detecting Child Sexual Abuse Images: Traits Of Child Sexual Exploitation Hosting And Displaying Websites, Enrique Guerra, Bryce G. Westlake
Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity
Background
Automated detection of child sexual abuse images (CSAI) often relies on image attributes, such as hash values. However, electronic service providers and others without access to hash value databases are limited in their ability to detect CSAI. Additionally, the increasing amount of CSA content being distributed means that a large percentage of images are not yet cataloged in hash value databases. Therefore, additional detection criteria need to be determined to improve identification of non-hashed CSAI.
Objective
We aim to identify patterns in the locations and folder/file naming practices of websites hosting and displaying CSAI, to use as additional detection …
Evaluation Of The Potential Of Automated Sem-Eds Analysis For The Discrimination Of Inorganic Soil Particles,
2021
CUNY Graduate Center
Evaluation Of The Potential Of Automated Sem-Eds Analysis For The Discrimination Of Inorganic Soil Particles, Anna S. Duggar
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Soil, that complex mixture of minerals, organic particles, chemicals, and anthropogenic materials, is ubiquitous and easily transferred, which gives it forensic relevance. Forensic soil analysis has traditionally included the identification and comparison of both organic and inorganic components, the inorganic portion being most commonly examined by light microscopy and other instrumental techniques. Predominantly, the inorganic materials in soil are naturally-occurring minerals, contributed as grains from the surrounding bedrock, which gives a soil its regional character. That parent material then undergoes physical, chemical, and anthropogenic changes producing wide geographic variation within a single region. This variation forms the basis for potential …
Cocaine, Cocaethylene And Ethanol In Postmortem Blood Submitted To The New York City Office Of Chief Medical Examiner,
2021
CUNY John Jay College
Cocaine, Cocaethylene And Ethanol In Postmortem Blood Submitted To The New York City Office Of Chief Medical Examiner, Jada T. Alexis
Student Theses
Cocaine overdose deaths are on the rise in the United States. This increase may be due to the co-consumption of cocaine with other drugs. When cocaine is ingested in conjunction with alcohol, a specific metabolite called cocaethylene forms. Information regarding cocaethylene, specifically its interpretive value in post-mortem cases, has not been widely studied. Data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City revealed that there were 195 cases in 2017 positive for cocaethylene. These cases were most likely to involve black (42.1%) males (79.5%) in Manhattan (28.2%) aged 50 - 59 (34.4%). Most of the cases …
Forensic Artifact Finder (Forensicaf): An Approach & Tool For Leveraging Crowd-Sourced Curated Forensic Artifacts,
2021
University of New Haven
Forensic Artifact Finder (Forensicaf): An Approach & Tool For Leveraging Crowd-Sourced Curated Forensic Artifacts, Tyler Balon, Krikor Herlopian, Ibrahim Baggili, Cinthya Grajeda-Mendez
Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications
Current methods for artifact analysis and understanding depend on investigator expertise. Experienced and technically savvy examiners spend a lot of time reverse engineering applications while attempting to find crumbs they leave behind on systems. This takes away valuable time from the investigative process, and slows down forensic examination. Furthermore, when specific artifact knowledge is gained, it stays within the respective forensic units. To combat these challenges, we present ForensicAF, an approach for leveraging curated, crowd-sourced artifacts from the Artifact Genome Project (AGP). The approach has the overarching goal of uncovering forensically relevant artifacts from storage media. We explain our approach …
Forensicast: A Non-Intrusive Approach & Tool For Logical Forensic Acquisition & Analysis Of The Google Chromecast Tv,
2021
University of New Haven
Forensicast: A Non-Intrusive Approach & Tool For Logical Forensic Acquisition & Analysis Of The Google Chromecast Tv, Alex Sitterer, Nicholas Dubois, Ibrahim Baggili
Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications
The era of traditional cable Television (TV) is swiftly coming to an end. People today subscribe to a multitude of streaming services. Smart TVs have enabled a new generation of entertainment, not only limited to constant on-demand streaming as they now offer other features such as web browsing, communication, gaming etc. These functions have recently been embedded into a small IoT device that can connect to any TV with High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input known as Google Chromecast TV. Its wide adoption makes it a treasure trove for potential digital evidence. Our work is the primary source on forensically …
Duck Hunt: Memory Forensics Of Usb Attack Platforms,
2021
University of New Haven
Duck Hunt: Memory Forensics Of Usb Attack Platforms, Tyler Thomas, Mathew Piscitelli, Bhavik Ashok Nahar, Ibrahim Baggili
Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications
To explore the memory forensic artifacts generated by USB-based attack platforms, we analyzed two of the most popular commercially available devices, Hak5's USB Rubber Ducky and Bash Bunny. We present two open source Volatility plugins, usbhunt and dhcphunt, which extract artifacts generated by these USB attacks from Windows 10 system memory images. Such artifacts include driver-related diagnostic events, unique device identifiers, and DHCP client logs. Our tools are capable of extracting metadata-rich Windows diagnostic events generated by any USB device. The device identifiers presented in this work may also be used to definitively detect device usage. Likewise, the DHCP logs …
Another Brick In The Wall: An Exploratory Analysis Of Digital Forensics Programs In The United States,
2021
University of New Haven
Another Brick In The Wall: An Exploratory Analysis Of Digital Forensics Programs In The United States, Syria Mccullough, Stella Abudu, Ebere Onwubuariri, Ibrahim Baggili
Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications
We present a comprehensive review of digital forensics programs offered by universities across the United States (U.S.). While numerous studies on digital forensics standards and curriculum exist, few, if any, have examined digital forensics courses offered across the nation. Since digital forensics courses vary from university to university, online course catalogs for academic institutions were evaluated to curate a dataset. Universities were selected based on online searches, similar to those that would be made by prospective students. Ninety-seven (n = 97) degree programs in the U.S. were evaluated. Overall, results showed that advanced technical courses are missing from curricula. We …
