Computer Anti-forensics Methods and Their Impact on Computer Forensic Investigation

Electronic crime is very difficult to investigate and prosecute, mainly due to the fact that investigators have to build their cases based on artefacts left on computer systems. Nowadays, computer criminals are aware of computer forensics methods and techniques and try to use Countermeasure techniques to efficiently impede the investigation processes. In many cases investigation with such countermeasure techniques in place appears to be too expensive, or too time consuming to carry out. Often a case can end up being abandoned and investigators are left with a sense of personal defeat. The methodologies used against the computer forensics processes are collectively called Anti-Forensics. This paper explores the anti forensics problem in various stages of computer forensic investigation from both a theoretical and practical point of view.