Automated Forensic Analysis - The missing piece of the puzzle

Introduction

There’s real-time data visualisation and there’s traditional reporting capabilities, but what if you could select a ‘slice’ of data on which to perform a deep dive into cause-and-effect situations?

In the dynamic landscape of critical communications networks, most systems are either near real-time, or provide reporting (or log style) outputs, well after the fact. VUpt forensic data analysis fills the gap between real-time and reporting style information, which has long been the missing piece of the puzzle.

How do I use Forensic Analysis?

Real-time monitoring and alerting can focus you on a ‘time-slice’ containing issues that need to be reviewed and acted upon. VUpt provides the mechanism by which an organization can harness pin-point analysis to enhance their network efficiency. By selecting a 'time-slice' around a reported issue, you can eliminate unncessarily large data-sets to be analysed. VUpt automates the selection of pin-point problem areas for analysis.

You can, of course, always select a larger chunk of data (up to 24 hours) to be made available for deep-dive analytics, including the following currently available techniques.

What can I analyse?

Incident Identification & Reconstruction:

Reassemble communication sessions to trace the flow of data and detect patterns.

o Data Capture: Collect and preserve relevant network data during incidents or anomalies

o Timeline Reconstruction: Create a chronological sequence of events to understand the attack or disruption

Real-Time Monitoring, Visualization & Traffic Pattern Analysis:

VUpt provides advanced monitoring tools to provide real-time insights into network health, traffic patterns, and anomalies.

Visualize Trends:

Use dashboards and visualizations to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as latency, throughput, and error rates, including:

o Heatmaps: Overlay network traffic data on geographical maps to identify hotspots or congestion areas.

o Time-Series Graphs: Plot KPIs (latency, throughput) over time to detect trends or anomalies.

o Automated Alerts: Set up alerts to detect deviations from normal behaviour.

Predictive Maintenance

Develop predictive models based on historical data to anticipate equipment failures.

o Component-Specific Predictions: Estimate when specific components might fail, allowing proactive maintenance.

o Review of Alerts: Regular review of alerts to detect deviation trends from normal network behaviour.

Optimized Resource Allocation

o Dynamic Load Balancing: Allocate resources dynamically based on real-time demand and network conditions.

o Traffic Prioritization: Prioritize critical traffic (e.g., emergency calls) over non-critical data.

Operational Decision Support

o Root Cause Analysis: Investigate incidents promptly by analysing real-time data to identify the root cause.

o Scenario Simulation: Simulate network scenarios to evaluate the impact of changes before implementation.

Continuous Improvement

o Feedback Loop: Use real-time insights to refine network design, policies, and procedures.

o Benchmarking: Compare performance against industry standards and best practices.

o Post-Incident Remediation.

o Mitigation Strategies: Implement corrective actions based on findings.

Conclusion

Remember, forensic analysis isn’t just about solving mysteries—it’s about preventing future incidents, improving network resilience, and safe-guarding critical operations. Forensic analysis provides the missing link in your critical comms tool-kit, and by embracing these practices, organizations can fortify their communication networks against network disruptions and maintain business continuity.

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