University of New Haven Cyber Forensics Team Launches Digital Forensics Database

First Time Cases, Investigators Linked Globally

  • Jul 11, 2017

The University of New Haven announced today it has created a digital forensic evidence archive to revolutionize how investigators around the world analyze cyber forensic evidence and share critical data.

The new Artifact Genome Project (AGP), will document how various apps and digital information used as forensic evidence are structured and decoded. It will record where and what type of digital evidence can be located and, if data is encrypted, how to unencrypt it.

The initiative, modeled after the groundbreaking Human Genome Project, unites researchers and practitioners to centralize knowledge about digital forensic artifacts. Now a law enforcement professional in Chicago can see how a researcher in Miami decoded an app such as Tinder, which uses a location-based search-mobile app to connect users. Investigators can avoid having to themselves “crack the code” of each device or version of an app.

The database will allow investigators worldwide to solve cases more quickly as they will no longer have to figure out for themselves what others have already learned.  Using the AGP platform, they can research what has been done before or message other investigators for help.

“So many applications and so many technologies are being created and continuously updated, that forensic investigators can’t keep up,” said Ibrahim Baggili, Elder Family Endowed Chair and founder of the university’s Cyber Forensics Research Group “Without the artifact archive, every investigator is trying to figure out every technology.”

Now when investigators determine how to get information from a smartphone, for example, they can upload the “artifact”   -- information about where and how they found the information --- to the Artifact Genome Project. 

The AGP allows researchers to keep up with technology in drones, Fitbits, mobile phones, laptops with different operating systems, and millions of applications in the Google Play and Apple Stores, Baggili said.


Featured

  • NRF Supports Federal Bill to Thwart Retail Crime

    The National Retail Federation recently announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. The act was introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio. Read Now

  • ISC West 2025 Brings Almost 29,000 Industry Professionals to Las Vegas

    ISC West 2025, organized by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s leading comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • New Report Says 1 in 5 SMBs Would Be Forced to Shutter After Successful Cyberattack

    Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) play a crucial role in the U.S. economy, making up 99.9% of all businesses and contributing to half of the nation's GDP. However, these vital economic growth drivers face an escalating threat—cyberattacks that could put them out of business. Read Now

  • The Yellow Brick Road

    The road to and throughout Wednesday's and Thursday's ISC West was crowded but it was amazing. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.