INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN CYBERSECURITY INCIDENCE RESPONSE AND DIGITAL FORENSIC INVESTIGATION

Abstract

In the modern interconnected society, large, medium, and small organizations, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, are vulnerable to cyberattacks. When an attack, such as a phishing or ransomware attack, occurs, each of these enterprises must have a dependable or rather established and accurate reference database and platform for appropriate analysis and storage of digital evidence to facilitate a quick and effective response to the attack. Establishing a secure platform for cyber incident response is essential for organizations to minimize the impact of an attack, prevent further damage, and identify and track the source of the attack. This paper critically examines the role of blockchain technology in facilitating safe and secure collection, storage, and analysis of digital evidence in the modern cyber incidence response and digital forensic investigation industry. This paper employs observation, experimentation, and case study methods to investigate how crucial the technology is in different stages of incidence responses and modern forensic investigation. It explores critical aspects such as evidence preservation, the chain of custody, gathering threat intelligence, analyzing computer viruses, and tracking compromised data and funds flow. Its findings imply that the technology is far more efficient than other technologies of the same calibre. By adopting this tool, organizations can improve their incidence response capabilities and increase their chances of successfully identifying and prosecuting cyber attackers. The paper concludes by discussing the potential limitations and challenges of using blockchain technology, offering recommendations for future research on the technology to continue improving the cyber incidence response field. Keywords: Blockchain Technology, Digital Forensics, Forensic Investigation, Incidence Response, Digital Evidence DOI： https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.58.3.59