Digital forensic readiness for IOT devices

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved to be an important part of modern society. IoT devices can be found in several environments such as smart homes, transportation, the health sector, smart cities and even facilitates automation in organisations. The increasing dependence on IoT devices increases the possibility of security incidents in the physical or cyber environment. Traditional methods of digital forensic (DF) investigations are not always applicable to IoT devices due to their limited data processing resources. A possible solution for conducting forensic investigations on IoT devices is to utilise a proactive approach known as digital forensic readiness (DFR).

This dissertation firstly aims to conduct a thorough review of the available literature in the current body of knowledge to identify a clear process that can be followed to implement DFR tailored for IoT devices. This dissertation then formulates requirements for DFR in IoT based on existing forensic techniques. The requirements for DFR in IoT give rise to the development of a model for DFR in IoT, which is then implemented in a prototype for IoT devices. The prototype is subsequently tested and evaluated on IoT devices that conduct proactive DFR in a simulation of a smart home system. Finally, the dissertation illustrates the feasibility of the DFR processes for IoT and serves as a basis for future research with regards to DFR in IoT. This dissertation will impact future research with regards to developing a standard for DFR in IoT.