McAfee CCII - Certified Cyber Intelligence Investigator (CCII)

Incident documentation iscriticalin cyber investigations. Best practices include:

Data Preservation:Creatingforensic copiesof digital evidence.

Active Monitoring:Usingkeystroke logging and network traffic analysis.

Loss Documentation:Quantifyingfinancial and operational damage.

Legal Reporting:Contactinglaw enforcement and relevant regulatory bodies.

Following these steps ensuresevidence is admissible in court​.

References:

McAfee Institute Cybercrime Reporting Guide

U.S. Department of Justice Digital Forensics Manual

Chain of Custody in Digital Evidence Collection

Non-delivery of goods fraudhappens when afraudster advertises an item, accepts payment, but never delivers it. This scam is frequently seen inonline retail fraud, e-commerce platforms, and fake dropshipping schemes.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Cyber Fraud Module, Cyber Crime Encyclopedia​.

Non-delivery fraudoccurs when abuyer makes a paymentbutnever receives the product. This is one of themost common online fraud schemesused onclassified ad sites, social media marketplaces, and dark web platforms.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Fraud Investigations Guide, OSINT Handbook​.

Physical evidence in cyber investigations includeshardware-based digital storage, computing devices, and forensic copiesof data. Examples include:

Laptops, desktops, and mobile devicesused to commit cybercrimes.

USB drives, hard disks, and SSDscontaining sensitive data.

Printed documentswith digital forensic significance.

Handling physical evidence requiresproper chain of custody protocols​.

References:

McAfee Institute Digital Forensics Handbook

DOJ Cybercrime Evidence Handling Guide

Federal Digital Chain of Custody Procedures

Raw data and observations collected during investigations are classified as information. When properly analyzed, structured, and contextualized, this information transforms into intelligence, which is actionable for investigations and decision-making. Understanding this difference is critical in cyber intelligence investigations, where data mining and OSINT techniques play a crucial role.

References: McAfee Institute CCII Official Documentation, OSINT Techniques by Michael Bazzell​.

Intelligence is not raw databut aprocessed and analyzed productderived fromvarious information sources. Intelligence analysts:

Gather data from multiple sources(OSINT, HUMINT, SIGINT, etc.).

Analyze patterns and connectionsto detect security threats or criminal activity.

Develop actionable insightsfor law enforcement and national security agencies.

This process ensures that intelligence isaccurate, reliable, and usefulfor decision-making.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Intelligence Cycle Guide, Cyber Crime Investigator’s Field Guide​.

War dialingis a hacking technique used toscan telephone linesfor open modems and fax machines, often forunauthorized access or exploitation. This method has becomeless common due to modern cybersecurity measuresbut remains a historical attack vector.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Cyber Threat Guide, Ethical Hacking Manual​.

Social media companiescomply with legal requestsfromlaw enforcement and intelligence agencies. Facebook, for example:

Provides user metadata and private messageswith a warrant.

Uses AI to monitor posts for criminal activity.

Shares data with government agencies in cases of terrorism, child exploitation, and fraud.

References:Privacy in Practice, OSINT Handbook​.

Prevention is acore function of intelligence and law enforcement operations. It involves:

Collecting intelligence on potential threatsbefore they materialize.

Identifying criminal or terrorist activitiesthrough surveillance and OSINT.

Hardened security measuresfor potential targets (e.g., increasing cybersecurity, bordersecurity).

Taking legal actionagainst identified offenders (e.g., arrests, asset seizures).Byusing proactive intelligence gathering, agencies candisrupt crime networks, prevent terrorist attacks, and reduce financial fraud.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Threat Prevention Module, Cyber Crime Investigator’s Field Guide​.

Ahostnameis aunique identifier assigned to a computer on a network.

Used innetwork security and OSINT investigationstotrack users and devices.

Law enforcement can subpoena ISPsto obtainhostname logs and associated IPsin cyber investigations.

References:McAfee Institute CCII Cyber Intelligence Guide, OSINT Handbook​.