A Digital Forensic Readiness Approach for e-Supply Chain Systems

Abstract

The internet has had a major impact on how information is shared within supply chains, and in commerce in general. This has resulted in the establishment of information systems such as esupply chains (eSCs) amongst others which integrate the internet and other information and communications technology (ICT) with traditional business processes for the swift transmission of information between trading partners. Many organisations have reaped the benefits that come from adopting the eSC model, but have also faced the challenges with which it comes. One such major challenge is information security. With the current state of cybercrime, system developers are challenged with the task of developing cutting-edge digital forensic readiness (DFR) systems that can keep up with current technological advancements, such as eSCs. Hence, the research highlights the lack of a well-formulated eSC-DFR approach that can assist system developers in the development of e-supply chain digital forensic readiness systems. The main objective of such a system is that it must be able to provide law enforcement/digital forensic investigators that operate on eSC platforms with forensically sound and readily available potential digital evidence that can expedite and support digital forensics incident-response processes. This approach, if implemented can also prepare trading partners for security incidents that might take place, if not prevent them from occurring. Therefore, the work presented in this research is aimed at providing a procedural approach that is based on digital forensic principles for eSC system architects and eSC network service providers to follow in the design of eSC-DFR tools. The author proposes an eSC-DFR process model and eSC-DFR system architectural design that was implemented as part of this research illustrating the concepts of evidence collection, evidence pre-analysis, evidence preservation, system usability alongside other digital forensic principles and techniques. It is the view of the authors that the conclusions drawn from this research can spearhead the development of cutting-edge eSC-DFR systems that are intelligent, effective, user friendly and compliant with international standards.