Higher Nationals

Internal verification of assessment decisions – BTEC (RQF)

INTERNAL VERIFICATION – ASSESSMENT DECISIONS

Programme title BTEC HND in Cyber Security

Assessor Internal Verifier

Unit 31: Forensics
Unit(s)

Assignment title
Deepa Thakshika
Student’s name
List which assessment criteria Pass Merit Distinction
the Assessor has awarded.

INTERNAL VERIFIER CHECKLIST

Do the assessment criteria awarded match

those shown in the assignment brief? Y/N

Is the Pass/Merit/Distinction grade awarded

justified by the assessor’s comments on the Y/N
student work?
Has the work been assessed
Y/N
accurately?
Is the feedback to the student:
Give details:
• Constructive? Y/N
• Linked to relevant assessment criteria? Y/N
• Identifying opportunities for Y/N
improved performance?
• Agreeing actions? Y/N
Does the assessment decision need
Y/N
amending?

Assessor signature Date

Internal Verifier signature Date

Programme Leader signature (if required)
Date

Confirm action completed

Remedial action taken
Give details:

Assessor signature Date

Internal Verifier
Date
signature
Programme Leader
Date
signature (if required)
Higher Nationals - Summative Assignment Feedback Form
Student Name/ID
Unit 31: Forensics
Unit Title

Assignment Number 1 Assessor

Date Received
Submission Date
1st submission
Date Received 2nd
Re-submission Date
submission

Assessor Feedback:
LO1 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional and agile systems analysis
methodologies
Pass, Merit & Distinction P1 P2 M1 D1
Descripts

LO2 Produce a feasibility study for a system for system to be developed to solve a business-related
problem
Pass, Merit & Distinction P3 P4 M2 D2
Descripts

LO3 Assess systems analysis methodologies to effectively solve business-related problems

Pass, Merit & Distinction P5 P6 M3 M4 D3

Descripts

LO4 Design the system to meet user and system requirements.

Pass, Merit & Distinction P7 P8 M5
Descripts

Grade: Assessor Signature: Date:

Resubmission Feedback:

Grade: Assessor Signature: Date:

Internal Verifier’s Comments:

Signature & Date:

* Please note that grade decisions are provisional. They are only confirmed once internal and external moderation has taken place and
grades decisions have been agreed at the assessment board.
Pearson Higher Nationals in
Computing
Unit 31: Forensics
Assignment 01
General Guidelines

1. A Cover page or title page – You should always attach a title page to your assignment. Use
previous page as your cover sheet and make sure all the details are accurately filled.
2. Attach this brief as the first section of your assignment.
3. All the assignments should be prepared using a word processing software.
4. All the assignments should be printed on A4 sized papers. Use single side printing.
5. Allow 1” for top, bottom , right margins and 1.25” for the left margin of each page.

Word Processing Rules

1. The font size should be 12 point, and should be in the style of Time New Roman.
2. Use 1.5 line spacing. Left justify all paragraphs.
3. Ensure that all the headings are consistent in terms of the font size and font style.
4. Use footer function in the word processor to insert Your Name, Subject, Assignment No, and
Page Number on each page. This is useful if individual sheets become detached for any
reason.
5. Use word processing application spell check and grammar check function to help editing your
assignment.

Important Points:

1. It is strictly prohibited to use textboxes to add texts in the assignments, except for the
compulsory information. eg: Figures, tables of comparison etc. Adding text boxes in the body
except for the before mentioned compulsory information will result in rejection of your work.
2. Carefully check the hand in date and the instructions given in the assignment. Late
submissions will not be accepted.
3. Ensure that you give yourself enough time to complete the assignment by the due date.
4. Excuses of any nature will not be accepted for failure to hand in the work on time.
5. You must take responsibility for managing your own time effectively.
6. If you are unable to hand in your assignment on time and have valid reasons such as illness,
you may apply (in writing) for an extension.
7. Failure to achieve at least PASS criteria will result in a REFERRAL grade .
8. Non-submission of work without valid reasons will lead to an automatic RE FERRAL. You will
then be asked to complete an alternative assignment.
9. If you use other people’s work or ideas in your assignment, reference them properly using
HARVARD referencing system to avoid plagiarism. You have to provide both in-text citation
and a reference list.
10. If you are proven to be guilty of plagiarism or any academic misconduct, your grade could be
reduced to A REFERRAL or at worst you could be expelled from the course
Student Declaration

I hereby, declare that I know what plagiarism entails, namely to use another’s work and to present
it as my own without attributing the sources in the correct form. I further understand what it means
to copy another’s work.

1. I know that plagiarism is a punishable offence because it constitutes theft.

2. I understand the plagiarism and copying policy of Edexcel UK.
3. I know what the consequences will be if I plagiarise or copy another’s work in any of the
assignments for this program.
4. I declare therefore that all work presented by me for every aspect of my program, will be my
own, and where I have made use of another’s work, I will attribute the source in the correct
way.
5. I acknowledge that the attachment of this document signed or not, constitutes a binding
agreement between myself and Pearson , UK.
6. I understand that my assignment will not be considered as submitted if this document is not
attached to the assignment.

Student’s Signature: Date:

(Provide E-mail ID) (Provide Submission Date)
Higher National Diploma in Computing
Assignment Brief
Student Name /ID Number

Unit Number and Title Unit 31: Forensics

Academic Year 2022/23

Unit Tutor

Assignment Title

Issue Date

Submission Date

IV Name & Date

Submission format

The submission should be in the form of an individual written report written in a concise,
formal business style using single spacing and font size 12. You are required to make use
of headings, paragraphs and subsections as appropriate, and all work must be supported
with research and referenced Please provide in-test citations, reference list and
bibliography using Harvard referencing system. Please also provide a bibliography using
the Harvard referencing system.
The recommended word limit is not less than 4000 words, although you will not be
penalised for exceeding the total word limit.

Unit Learning Outcomes:

LO1 Examine the processes and procedures for carrying out digital forensic investigation
LO2 Discuss the legal and professional guidelines and procedures for carrying out digital
forensic investigation
LO3 Use a tool or tools to conduct digital forensic investigation on devices or networks or
cyber attacks
LO4 Develop a Test Plan and make some recommendations for use in digital forensic
investigation.
Assignment Brief and Guidance:

Assignment brief
Case study
EMC Computer Forensics (Pvt) Ltd was established in 2000 to recover lost or deleted data
and perform computer forensics investigation. Since then, they have been serving clients
throughout Sri Lanka as well as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the entire South Asia.

A Major organization is facing a crisis, when a very senior member of staff was under
suspicion of downloading thousands of pornographic images from the internet. He
vehemently denied it all, but the case against him looked very serious. Senior staff
member has a reasonable doubt that someone in the organization is trying to frame him
to damage his reputation. Therefore, the higher management of the organization decided
to handover the investigation to EMC Computer Forensics (Pvt) Ltd.

Assume that you are working as Digital Forensic Investigator for EMC Computer Forensics
(Pvt) Ltd, and You have been assigned to investigate above case.
 Activity 01
Discuss what is meant by digital forensics and how digital forensic investigation improve
system security. You also need to identify the processes and procedures for carrying
out digital forensic investigation and assess the importance of following a process and
procedure including policy and procedure development, evidence assessment,
evidence acquisition, evidence examination (including extraction and analysis) in the
digital forensic investigation explained in the scenario. Finally, you have to evaluate
the advantages and disadvantages of conducting digital forensic investigation for the
above scenario and how it helps to improve system security.

Activity 2
2.1. Summarise APCO guidelines in relation to evidence collection and evidence
preservation in a forensic investigation case. Discuss the activities of authorities, e.g.,
MI5/MI6, GCHQ, and NSA, in relation to forensic investigations. Evaluate the impacts
of following and now following guidelines with regards to the digital forensic evidence
in the legal case of the scenario given .
2.2. Discuss the following legal and ethical considerations when conducting a forensic
investigation; Data Protection Act 2018; Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Freedom
of Information Act 2000. Assess how ethical it is to conduct digital forensic
investigation on suspected individual in related to above scenario, with reference to
their legal rights.

Activity 3
3.1. Determine the hardware and software tools that you can use to conduct digital
forensic investigation on above scenario including identification and minimization of
false readings generated by those tools. Compare two main tools that can be used to
conduct the investigation.
2.3. Conduct digital forensic investigation of the devices and/or networks to identify
anomalies in observed digital system data structures. Examine the operating systems that
use within the organization. Critically evaluate the forensic investigation carried out by
 you to find actual culprit suggesting improvements to the current digital forensic
investigation guidelines, processes, and procedures.

Activity 4
Develop a Test Plan for conducting a test on digital devices or networks or cyber-attacks
in the organization. Apply risk assessment and audit methodologies to identify potential
vulnerabilities. You then have to recommend security improvements based on test results
to improve system security based on identified vulnerabilities and potential emerging
threats in the organization. Compare the recommendations suggested with the current
‘best practices’ from professional and legal bodies for conducting digital forensic
investigations and developing Test Plans.
Grading Criteria Achieved Feedback

LO1 Examine the processes and procedures for carrying

out digital forensic investigation

P1 Discuss what is meant by digital forensics with the aid of

diagrams/pictures.
P2 Examine the processes and procedures for conducting
digital Forensic investigation.
M1 Assess the importance of following a process or
procedure when conducting digital forensic investigation.

D1 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of

conducting digital forensic investigation to improve system
security.
LO2 Discuss the legal and professional guidelines and
procedures for carrying out digital forensic investigation
P3 Examine law enforcement guidelines for conducting
digital forensic investigations.

P4 Discuss legal and ethical requirements for conducting

digital forensic investigations

M2 Assess how ethical it is to conduct digital forensic

investigation on a suspected individual, with reference to
their legal rights.
D2 Evaluate the impact of both following and not following

guidelines in a legal case, with regard to digital forensic

evidence.

LO3 Use a tool or tools to conduct digital forensic

investigation on devices or networks or cyber attacks

P5 Determine hardware and software tools that can be

used to conduct digital forensic investigation.

P6 Examine the file system structure of several operating

systems
M3 Compare two tools that can be used to conduct digital

forensic investigation.
M4 Conduct a digital forensic investigation on a device or

network or cyber attack.

D3 Critically evaluate the forensic investigation carried out,

suggesting improvements to the current digital forensic

investigation guidelines, processes and procedures.

LO4 Develop a Test Plan and make some

recommendations for use in digital forensic investigation

P7 Develop a Test Plan for conducting a test on digital

devices or networks or cyber attacks.

P8 Recommend security improvements based on test

results
M5 Compare the recommendations for best practices for

conducting digital forensics.