Subrata Acharya

Novel Anti-forensics Approaches for Smart Phones

Anti-forensics is defined as a method undertaken to thwart the digital investigation process conducted by forensic investigators. In this paper we introduce the design and implementation of three novel anti-forensic approaches for data deletion and manipulation on three of the market-leading forensics tools. The evaluation results of our proposed anti-forensic approaches on a typical Android cell phone device demonstrate the severe limitations of current forensic tools and conclude the critical need for modifications and/or redesigns of these contemporary forensic tools to maintain accuracy and legitimacy of forensic data acquisition and analysis.

Colour quantitation for chemical spot tests for a controlled substances presumptive test database

Crime scene investigators (CSIs) often encounter unknown powders, capsules, tablets, and liquids at crime scenes, many of which are controlled substances. Because most drugs are white powders, however, visual determination of the chemical identity is difficult. Colourimetric tests are a well-established method of presumptive drug identification. Positive tests are often reported differently, however, because two analysts may perceive colour or record colourimetric results in different ways. In addition to perceiving colour differently, it is very common for there to be poor visibility conditions (e.g. rain, darkness) while performing these tests, further obscuring the results. In order to address these concerns and to create uniformity in the reporting of on-site colourimetric test results, this study has evaluated two of the state-of-the-art apps (ColorAssist® and Colorimeter®) for reporting the colour test results quantitatively in red-green-blue (RGB) format. The compiled library database of presumptive test results contains over 3300 data points including over 800 unique drug/test combinations. Variations observed between test replicates, from performing a test on different days, recording with a different device type (e.g. iPod Touch, iPhone models 4, 5c, 5s, or 6), and using different quantities of drug are discussed. Overall, the least variation in Euclidian norm was observed using ColorAssist® with the camera light (25.1±22.1) while the variation between replicates and data recorded using different devices was similar. The resulting library is uploaded to a smartphone application aimed to aid in identifying and interpreting suspected controlled substance evidence. Copyright

Are We Relying Too Much on Forensics Tools

Cell phones are among the most common types of technologies present today and have become an integral part of our daily activities. The latest statis- tics indicate that currently there are over five billion mobile subscribers are in the world and increasingly cell phones are used in criminal activities and confiscated at the crime scenes. Data extracted from these phones are presented as evidence in the court, which has made digital forensics a critical part of law enforcement and legal systems in the world. A number of forensics tools have been developed aiming at extracting and acquiring the ever-increasing amount of data stored in the cell phones; however, one of the main challenges facing the forensics com- munity is to determine the validity, reliability and effectiveness of these tools. To address this issue, we present the performance evaluation of several market- leading forensics tools in the following two ways: the first approach is based on a set of evaluation standards provided by National Institute of Standards and Tech- nology (NIST), and the second approach is a simple and effective anti-forensics technique to measure the resilience of the tools.

Incorporating hardware trust mechanisms in Apache Hadoop: To improve the integrity and confidentiality of data in a distributed Apache Hadoop file system: An information technology infrastructure and software approach

Pairing Apache Hadoop distributed file storage with hardware based trusted computing mechanisms has the potential to reduce the risk of data compromise. With the growing use of Hadoop to tackle big data analytics involving sensitive data, a Hadoop cluster could be a target for data exfiltration, corruption, or modification. By implementing open standards based Trusted Computing technology at the infrastructure and application levels; a novel and robust security posture and protection is presented. An overview of the technologies involved, description of the proposed infrastructure, and potential software integrations are discussed.

Achieving Electronic Health Record Access from the Cloud

There is an impending requirement for healthcare providers to enable widespread access to their electronic health record systems for the patients they serve. Programs such as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Meaningful Use are providing monetary incentives to providers for offering this type of access but affording virtually no guidance as to how it could be accomplished. This research proposes a solution to this challenge by creating a flexible, proven framework that sets the stage for ubiquitous patient access to electronic health records, while preserving security and privacy. Using technologies such as OpenID and federated authentication, this research establishes a standardized approach for healthcare providers to follow to bridge their EHR systems to the Cloud and offer the type of pervasive electronic access the connected world demands.

Ambient Intelligence Based Context-Aware Assistive System to Improve Independence for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can face great challenges in learning and maintaining basic living skills. This not only reduces their possibilities of independent living and employment, but also continuously brings social and financial burdens to their caregivers/mentors. Although research has been proposed to help autism users, most of them focus on improving social and communication skills or providing help for emergency situations. In this paper, we propose a novel portable context-aware assistive system to help autism users in their daily activities such as cooking and cleaning. To make it easily accessible and cost effective, we employ mobile devices and cheap context sensors. Our care system has been implemented and tested under different settings, and a user study involving ten pairs of autism users and their caregiver/mentors has been carried out to evaluate our approach. User feedback is highly positive.

The forecast for electronic health record access: partly cloudy

The mounting pressure to enable widespread access to electronic health record systems is being felt by healthcare providers. The federal governments Meaningful Use incentives are reason alone for providers to address this significant usability issue. As the healthcare industry considers solutions, attention should be given to the Cloud and the considerable investment that has been made related to the establishment of digital identities and making them interoperable across heterogeneous systems. This research considered how the Cloud could be leveraged by healthcare providers to not only provide patients with a familiar way of accessing electronic resources but also creating a significant cost savings for providers. An examination was performed of similar work being done in other industries as well as the standards laid out by the federal government for EHRs and digital identities. This research lays out a comprehensive framework for healthcare providers to easily follow to integrate with the Cloud for identity validation, while meeting compliance guidelines for security and privacy. To demonstrate the viability of this research, a number of pilots and proof of concept projects have already been implemented at a large regional hospital and have produced immediate and tangible improvements.

Towards the Design of a Forensic Tool for Mobile Data Visualization.

The growing popularity and use of mobile devices over the past decade has provided law enforcement agencies with new types of evidence to aid them in solving crimes. These devices can store a great deal of data that can be instrumental in digital investigations. Equally important is the acquisition and analysis of this data, which can be used to connect individuals or organizations to an incident or crime involving cell phone communication.

A novel preventative solution for effective asthma management: a practical evaluation

In recent years, there has been an increased growth in the use of smart applications to better care and manage various medical conditions. Recent studies have concluded that the daily management via an application improves asthma control compared to manual or paper-based monitoring (Fonseca et al. in Allergy 61(3):389–390, 2006). To this effect, this research aims to study existing asthma applications and propose a holistic approach to asthma care and management by developing a novel Android application that provides a real-time, multi-way communication between patients and providers (healthcare, insurance, food, drug, etc.). The current state-of-the-art smart applications are able to aid users send information to their physicians typically via email; however, healthcare providers still need to contact patients through the traditional methods (phone, email, or face-to-face appointments). Our proposed multi-way communication can eliminate phone calls, emails, and appointment scheduling to save time and provide real-time feedback to the patients. Furthermore, providers can monitor the health status of patients remotely by checking their patient specific journal entry and set new and/or modified action plans and also uploads those to the patient’s smart devices. Providers can also send notifications to patients even if the device is in sleep mode. In case of emergency, patients are able to call 911 or find the nearest hospital and pharmacy via a pre-programmed one-click method. We have conducted extensive evaluation studies (both pre- and post) at a nationally recognized HIMSS Stage 6 regional trauma center (>500 beds) and its affiliated 23 associated clinical practices. The results confirm that the proposed solution has a strong potential to significantly improve the quality of care while reducing the overall cost of care delivery for the target population. In addition, the HIMSS 6 organization has availed meaningful use incentive programs due to these measures. We are also aiding the healthcare organization to conduct analysis of their patient data to provide various training seminars to facilitate effective management of this chronic condition. In the upcoming years, our goal is to continue to collaborate with the provider to help in designing proactive solutions for other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc.

Towards the Design of a Cross Platform Solution for Efficient Colorimetric Tests

Every year millions of crime related events are reported, many of which are drug-related. Illegal drugs are among the prime factors for criminal activity, making illicit drug evidence an important type of chemical evidence. Identifying the exact drug is difficult since majority of the seized substances are in the form of white powders. Colorimetric drug tests are used to tentatively identify the substances. We report an automated application using the Android platform for interpretation of presumptive drug test results.