Towards a capability maturity model for digital forensic readiness

Abstract

Increasing IT-Security breaches and the extensively growing loss due to fraud related incidents cause the need for being prepared for a digital investigation. A specific capability maturity model can assist organizations to determine their current state according to implement digital forensic readiness measures and get assistance to reach a desired level in having related capabilities implemented. This paper examines how such a model can assist in integrating digital forensic readiness related measures and to reach an appropriate maturity level. Through facilitating core elements of the IT-Governance framework COBIT 5 and the core characteristics of implementing digital forensic readiness a proposal for a specific capability maturity model has been conducted. In five maturity levels (Initial, Managed, Defined, Quantitatively Managed and Optimized) the different stages of implementing digital forensic readiness measures are represented. It can be shown that with the IT-Governance aligned model the implementation of digital forensic readiness can be assisted.