Book Review: Digital Investigations

Digital Forensics and Investigations: People, Process, and Technologies to Defend the Enterprise. By Jason Sachowski. CRC Press; crcpress.com; 348 pages, $79.95.

Forensics has long been a crucial part of law enforcement and police investigations. It’s also an important part of the judicial system, and one of the first things a defense attorney will do is to try to find ways to get evidence dismissed. When it comes to digital forensics, the stakes are equally high.

In Digital Forensics and Investigations: People, Process, and Technologies to Defend the Enterprise, author Jason Sachowski creates a helpful reference on how to effectively use digital forensics in a manner that can stand up in court in front of a judge, jury, and aggressive defense attorney. 

Forensics does not exist in a vacuum, and as the title implies, people, process, and technologies must work together to ensure that forensics can withstand scrutiny. The book shows how to integrate those facets within an organization. 

Practical methodologies and strategies can immediately be used to create an effective forensics program. While there is no shortage of texts on how to use the many forensics technology tools, this book stands out by effectively detailing how to make all of the various elements of a forensics program realistically work together. 

The author is the director of cyber and security investigations at a large bank and brings significant real-world experience to the book. Those looking for a tactical guide to the topic will find it here. 

Reviewer: Ben Rothke, CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), PCI, QSA (Qualified Security Assessor), is a senior security consultant with the Nettitude Group.