Purpose and Mission

Purpose

The New York State (NYS) Digital Forensics Work Group (DFWG) was originally formed in June of 2000 and is sponsored by the NYS Office of Cyber Security.

The NYS DFWG comprises representatives of NYS agencies, authorities and public benefit corporations. This Work Group was formed to address the disparate methodologies followed by many entities. In an effort to promote common solutions, the Work Group is working to identify and share operating procedures and guidelines that any entity can follow. The primary purposes of the Work Group are to bring together State agencies, authorities and public benefit corporations actively engaged in gathering and working with digital and multimedia evidence, to foster communication, collaboration, and cooperation, and to ensure quality and consistency within the digital forensics community of practice.

The Work Group meets monthly to provide ongoing support and information sharing through discussions and presentations on digital and multimedia evidence. To support and enhance the use of digital forensic practices in NYS government, members of the NYS DFWG undertook the task of identifying and sharing cross-disciplinary guidelines and standards for the recovery, preservation, and examination of digital and multimedia evidence.

Mission

The NYS DFWG is a forum for State employees to discuss and explore issues related to digital forensics. The Work Group members stay abreast of new technology and legal developments by sharing information about training, tools, and best practices.

What is Digital Forensics?

Digital forensics is the practice of applying scientific methods to identify, collect, preserve, and analyze digital information of potential evidentiary value, in a legally acceptable manner. Among the ways digital forensics can be used to identify and collect information in a manner that protects its integrity and insures its admissibility as evidence are:

• To support internal investigations and administrative policy violations
• To use for presentation in a court of law
• To assist and further other investigations
• To provide supporting data for internal incident reports
• To assist with incident response and disaster recovery

Digital Forensics, more commonly referred to as computer or cyber forensics is a technical, computer related field which involves the collection and examination of digital evidence from computers, including documents, communications, audio, video, and graphical images. It has grown to encompass several specific areas including digital video analysis, media forensics, and network forensics. Forensic examination of computers has expanded to include many other processor-based devices such as smartphones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cell phones, and digital cameras. However, the goal of Digital Forensics has remained constant - to find and collect useful information in a scientifically sound manner that ensures its evidentiary value.

Organization

• Sponsor: Thomas D. Smith, NYS Office of Cyber Security, Director
• Co-Chair: Thomas B. Hurbanek, New York State Police, Computer Crime Unit
• Co-Chair: Mark Bilanski, NYS Office of Cyber Security, Incident Response Team
• Co-Chair: Nikki Brate, NYS Insurance Department, Information Technology
• Liaison to NYS Digital and Multimedia Evidence Technical Working Group (DME TWG): Deborah A. Snyder, NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Chief Information Security Officer

Membership

Membership is open to State agency, authority or public benefit corporation employees. Any State employee that is actively engaged in or has an interest in learning more about digital forensics is encouraged to join the Work Group.

Current Work Group members include:

• Senior Management
• Information Security Officers
• Computer Forensic Investigators
• Law Enforcement
• Cyber Incident Responders
• Attorneys
• Technical Information System Staff
• Staff Involved in Electronic Discovery

If you are interested in joining the Digital Forensics Work Group, please fill out the Request to Participate Form and send via e-mail to nyspccu@troopers.ny.gov or fax to 518.485.0188.

Meetings

Upcoming Meetings

• Date:          Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - Agenda
  Time:          2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room

Previous Meetings

• Date:          Thursday, April 12, 2012
  Time:          2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room
  
  
• Date:          Thursday, March 8, 2012 - Meeting Cancelled
  
  
• Date:          Thursday, February 9, 2012 - Agenda
  Time:          2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room
• Date:          December 7, 2011 - Agenda
  Time:          1:00pm - 4:00pm
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room
• Date:          November 10, 2011 - Agenda
  Time:          2:00pm - 4:00pm
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room
• Date:          October 13, 2011 - Agenda
Time:          2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:    NYSP Forensic Investigation Center, Bldg 30, NYS Office Campus
• Date:          September 8, 2011 - Agenda
  Time:          2:00pm - 4:00pm
  Location:    NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                     Building 7A, State Campus - 1st Floor Training Room
• Date:           May 12, 2011

Forensics Resources

• Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE)
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
• National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS)

These links are provided because they have information that may be useful. The NYS Office of Cyber Security (OCS) and the State of New York do not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in the links and neither endorses nor intends to promote the advertising of the resources listed herein. The opinions and statements contained in such resources are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions of OCS or the State of New York.