Digital Forensic Investigation: Uncovering Insider Theft in the Banking Sector

The Breach: A Financial Institution Under Shadow

In 2023, a leading bank noticed highly unusual data egress patterns during a routine server audit. Thousands of customer records were being accessed outside of normal business hours. Kian Technologies forensic experts use this case to demonstrate how the "Enemy Within" can be more dangerous than any external hacker. This investigation focused on identifying the culprit and proving the exfiltration in a court of law.

The Forensic Investigation: Connecting the Dots

The bank’s security team initiated a full-scale Endpoint Forensic Analysis. The primary challenge was that the employee hadn’t sent the data via email (which would have triggered a DLP alert); instead, they were using hardware. The forensic team focused on several key artifacts:

• LNK Files & Shell Bags: Analysis of these Windows artifacts revealed that specific folders containing customer PII had been accessed via a removable drive.
• Registry Forensics: Experts analyzed the USBSTOR registry key, which provided the unique Serial Number, Make, and Model of the specific USB device used for the theft.
• MFT (Master File Table) Analysis: This allowed investigators to see exactly when files were copied, modified, or deleted, creating an undeniable timeline of the theft.

The Result: Disciplinary Action & Prosecution

By correlating CCTV footage with the System Event Logs (showing the USB insertion time), the investigators identified a disgruntled employee who had been copying data over six months. The forensic report was used as primary evidence for legal prosecution, and the bank subsequently moved to a Zero-Trust Port Security model, disabling unauthorized USB access across all branches.

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