A model for the design of next generation e-supply chain digital forensic readiness tools

The internet has had a major impact on how information is shared within supply chains, and in commerce in general. This has resulted in the establishment of information systems such as e-supply chains amongst others which integrate the internet and other information and communications technology (ICT) with traditional business processes for the swift transmission of information between trading partners. Many organisations have reaped the benefits of adopting the eSC model, but have also faced the challenges with which it comes. One such major challenge is information security. Digital forensic readiness is a relatively new exciting field which can prepare and prevent incidents from occurring within an eSC environment if implemented strategically. With the current state of cybercrime, tool developers are challenged with the task of developing cutting edge digital forensic readiness tools that can keep up with the current technological advancements, such as (eSCs), in the business world. Therefore, the problem addressed in this paper is that there are no DFR tools that are designed to support eSCs specifically. There are some general-purpose monitoring tools that have forensic readiness functionality, but currently there are no tools specifically designed to serve the eSC environment. Therefore, this paper discusses the limitations of current digital forensic readiness tools for the eSC environment and an architectural design for next-generation eSC DFR systems is proposed, along with the system requirements that such systems must satisfy. It is the view of the authors that the conclusions drawn from this paper can spearhead the development of cutting-edge next-generation digital forensic readiness tools, and bring attention to some of the shortcomings of current tools.