Case Study

Objective

To achieve definite and correct evidences against the suspect for Cyber Stalking cyber crime by examining the emails sent to the targeted person with forensic mail analysis and investigation.

Motive

The primary aim of the stalkers behind sending obnoxious emails is harassing people online through Internet wherein the victim is subjected to a barrage of life threatening and other niggling email messages. This type of cyber crime is known as 'Cyber Stalking'.

Overview

The individual, a known face in the international business world, reported against the unidentified delinquent who has had been sending him odious mails. The report was registered in the nearby police station. He demanded identification of the culprit and further action within a limited time period. The case was registered against the offender who was sending him unsocial, hateful messages and thereafter investigation started.

Case in Detail

Detailed information about the cyber crime case that had been brought into action by means of adverse use of Internet as well as physical molestation and abuse is mentioned here.

• From quite a sometime, the individual had been receiving threatening emails on his personal email id. When reverted back there was no reply and again after few days mails were received that were distracting.
• Twice or thrice he was also physically attacked by a group of mob and molesters. However, the bouncers of the business person were able to protect him from the unrecognized attackers.
• Furthermore, every time the mails were sent from a different id but with the same name (signature in the mail). Some addresses of the perpetrator were found inactive few days after the mails were received by the victim. Therefore, reaching the cyber criminal got somewhat more difficult.
• The victim found later that many of his social, personal, banking and other accounts have been tampered-with. There were signs of illegitimate money transactions and information exchange also but it was not clear as the criminals might have deleted the emails sent and received. Therefore, it was found that it was not just the case of stalking only but also hacking and other heinous cyber crime.

Resolution

To identify and investigate the unknown assailants in a restricted time frame and within limited monetary assistance, the police contacted the digital forensics investigators agency. Such a step was taken to get assistance in determining the source of emails so that some clue of stalkers (cyber criminals) might be achieved and thereby convicted in the court of law. Following actions had been executed to initiate the proceedings of investigation

• The investigator of the investigating agency acquired the login credentials of all email, social and financial accounts of the prey.
• The sufferer had been devoid of accessing his emails till the forensics team was handling the case.
• The account holders account information had been given in hands of forensics experts.

Challenges

The challenges that have been presented to the investigating experts are as follows:

• Restricted financial funds to be spent in investigation.
• Apt exploration results within limited time bound.
• Inaccessibility of his own mail and other social and financial accounts.

Course of Action

With all the details of the case known and also well acquainted with the challenges, the forensics investigators planned out a precise way to achieve successful and apt end result. It was decided that an economical email analysis tool be used to get pertinent result in less time so that the guilty be punished by the court of law as soon as possible and the victimized person might be relieved from the clutches of criminals.