Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) framework for Operational Technology (OT)

Abstract

This document provides a new Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) framework dedicated to Operational Technology. This framework expands the traditional technical steps of IT Incident Response by giving an Incident Response procedure based on event escalation and provides techniques for OT Digital Forensics. The document begins with an overview of OT DFIR while discussing DFIR terms in general and explaining the unique properties of DFIR in OT. Later, the document describes the needed preparations for OT DFIR, such as an IRT establishment and Digital Forensics lab tools. Finally, the document provides the suggested OT DFIR framework with a detailed explanation of its phases and steps.

Forensics: Collection of Sound Digital Evidence

“…Digital forensics is the field of forensic science that is concerned with retrieving, storing, and analyzing electronic data that can be useful in criminal investigations [2]. This may include information from phones, pads, computers, hard drives, memory disks, SD cards, and other data storage devices.…”