Forensic Acquisition and Analysis of Webpage

Abstract

Due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, people are compelled to maintain social distance in all spheres of life, forcing people to adopt virtual mode of activity. Usage of social media and other internet activity has shot up in this period, and consequently, cybercrimes have also increased. If cybercrimes are reported, computer forensics analysts will examine the concerned website, online forum, or social media to find meticulous details about the cybercrime. But webpage content seen on the day may not be available on the next day. The contents of the webpage, which is the subject of crime, will be deleted or withdrawn, or deactivated to destroy evidence to escape from legal proceedings. The victims usually produce a screenshot of the webpage or image or video as a piece of evidence. But there is a distinct possibility of manipulating the offensive materials and it may not be considered a valid piece of evidence before the court of law. Such a scenario requires a forensic technique that should acquire the content of the webpage before it is removed from web site to maintain the authenticity of captured data. So, we are proposing an automated system for the forensic acquisition of a website that will effectively capture all content from the live website and make it useful for forensic investigation and may be produced before the court as valid evidence of cybercrime.