Digital Forensics Research & Service Center - DFRSC

Digital Forensics Research & Service Center - DFRSC DFRSC is the first research facility of its kind in Pakistan. It will work to increase awareness about digital forensics and cyber security in Pakistan.

Digital Forensic Research and Service Centre (DFRSC) have been established at Lahore Garrison University, Lahore. The Prime Purpose of this centre is to Conduct research on Digital forensic problems and provide solutions, in order to, enhance crime investigation process.

Shaping the Future of Criminology & Forensic Science at Lahore Garrison University (LGU)!In an evolving world where crim...
13/08/2026

Shaping the Future of Criminology & Forensic Science at Lahore Garrison University (LGU)!
In an evolving world where crime spans from physical crime scenes to complex financial networks and digital footprints, specialized expertise is more crucial than ever.
The Digital Forensics Research and Service Center (DFRSC) at Lahore Garrison University offers cutting-edge BS Criminology specialization programs designed to prepare future-ready investigators and security experts:
1. Digital Forensics & Cyber Crime Investigation Investigate. Analyze. Protect. Master Computer/Mobile Forensics, Cloud Security, OSINT, Ethical Hacking, AI & Blockchain.
Career Paths: Digital Forensic Analyst, Cybercrime Investigator, Incident Response Analyst, Cybersecurity Consultant.
2. Financial Crime Investigation Follow the Money. Find the Truth. Fight Financial Crime. Learn Forensic Accounting, Anti-Money Laundering (AML/CFT), Asset Tracing, Data Analytics & Compliance.
Career Paths: Financial Crime Investigator, Forensic Accountant, AML Analyst, Risk & Fraud Analyst.
3. Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Observe. Preserve. Analyze. Reveal the Truth. Gain hands-on experience in Fingerprint & DNA Evidence, Toxicology, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, and Courtroom Testimony.
Career Paths: Crime Scene Investigator, Forensic Scientist, Lab Analyst, Medical Examiner Support.
Why Choose DFRSC at LGU?
State-of-the-Art Forensic & Digital Labs
Practical Scene Simulations & Case-Based Learning
Industry & Bank Internships
Capstone Projects with Real-World Impact
Admissions are Open! Take the step towards securing a high-demand, impactful career.
Apply Now: admissions.lgu.edu.pk

ShieldBreak: A New Microsoft Defender Patch Bypass ClaimA new proof-of-concept (PoC), reportedly named ShieldBreak, has ...
12/08/2026

ShieldBreak: A New Microsoft Defender Patch Bypass Claim
A new proof-of-concept (PoC), reportedly named ShieldBreak, has been released by security researcher Chaotic Eclipse.
The PoC claims to bypass Microsoft's patch for CVE-2026-50656 (RoguePlanet), a Microsoft Defender vulnerability associated with privilege escalation to SYSTEM-level access.
According to the researcher, ShieldBreak was tested on Windows 11 25H2 and Windows Server 2025, with a claimed 100% success rate.
What makes this interesting from a cybersecurity perspective is the possibility of a patch bypass, where a security update may not completely prevent exploitation of the underlying vulnerability.
Microsoft has also released its August 2026 security updates covering hundreds of vulnerabilities, including several Windows privilege-escalation issues.
Key takeaway:
A vulnerability being patched does not always mean the security story ends there. Patch validation, vulnerability research, monitoring, and defense-in-depth remain important parts of Windows security.
The ShieldBreak claims are based on the researcher's reported PoC and should be treated as a claim until independently verified.

Bridging Academic Excellence & Operational Expertise in Complex Investigations We are pleased to share that Sir Kaukab, ...
06/08/2026

Bridging Academic Excellence & Operational Expertise in Complex Investigations

We are pleased to share that Sir Kaukab, Associate Dean of the Department of Criminology & DFRSC at Lahore Garrison University, recently conducted an exclusive professional seminar for the officers of the Pakistan Army Military Police.

Location: Model Security Operations Centre (SOC), Department of Criminology, LGU

Date: 4th August 2026

Theme: White-Collar Crime and the Investigation of Complex Cases

Modern financial and organizational crimes are rarely straightforward—they hide behind complex documentation, digital networks, and layered transactions. During this high-level training session, Sir Kaukab engaged with the military officers on crucial investigative strategies, including:

Beyond the Surface: Moving from "Who did it?" to mapping out financial pathways, authority misuse, and intent.

Integrated Evidence Analysis: Linking banking records, procurement files, and digital artifacts into a solid evidential picture.

Strategic Planning: Establishing accurate chronologies, preservation protocols, and maintaining a strict chain of custody before handling high-volume data.

DFRSC remains committed to elevating investigative capacities and fostering strong linkages between academic research and field operations to tackle sophisticated cyber-enabled and corporate crimes.

Our high appreciation goes to the participating officers of the Pakistan Army Military Police for their disciplined engagement, sharp insights, and professional excellence throughout the session.

Empowering the Next Generation of Ethical Hackers with DFRSC!At DFRSC, our department is committed to staying ahead of t...
28/07/2026

Empowering the Next Generation of Ethical Hackers with DFRSC!

At DFRSC, our department is committed to staying ahead of the cybersecurity curve by delivering practical, high-impact technical training. We are thrilled to announce the Certified White Hat Hacker (CWHH) program!

In an era of rising cyber threats, defensive security and ethical hacking are vital. This course is built to transform students into skilled security professionals who can identify vulnerabilities, protect critical infrastructure, and secure digital networks.

Why this CWHH course stands out:

Ethical Hacking Expertise: Learn offensive and defensive techniques to secure modern systems.

Vulnerability Assessment: Master hands-on scanning, pe*******on testing, and threat mitigation.

Practical Toolkit: Gain exposure to industry-standard tools used by cybersecurity experts.

Career Advancement: Earn a respected certification that boosts your profile in the defensive security domain.

A big shoutout to the DFRSC Department for consistently bringing top-tier learning opportunities to our students!

DFRSC is leading the way in practical Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics!At DFRSC our department is constantly setting be...
28/07/2026

DFRSC is leading the way in practical Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics!
At DFRSC our department is constantly setting benchmark standards by providing students with cutting edge knowledge and practical exposure that truly matters in today's tech landscape.
We are proud to announce the Certified Computer Forensics Analyst (CCFA) course another initiative by DFRSC to transform passionate learners into skilled digital investigators!
Why this course is a game changer:
Real World Investigation Skills: Learn how to analyze digital crime scenes and track cyber threats hands on.
High Demand Career Path: Digital forensics is one of the fastest-growing and most crucial fields in cybersecurity today.
Practical Industry Tools: Master actual forensic software and techniques used by industry professionals and law enforcement.
Career Growth: Earn a valuable certification that sets your resume apart in the job market.
A huge shoutout to the DFRSC Department for continuously creating these invaluable learning opportunities and empowering the next generation of cybersecurity experts!

New Cybersecurity Threat: Malware Assembled Directly in Your BrowserThreat actors behind the SourTrade malvertising camp...
27/07/2026

New Cybersecurity Threat: Malware Assembled Directly in Your Browser
Threat actors behind the SourTrade malvertising campaign are using a clever new tactic to bypass traditional security detection: making the victim's browser construct the executable file locally.
Instead of downloading a pre-built binary from a malicious server, the attack breaks the malware into separate, seemingly harmless components:
Cloaked Landing Pages: Targets are lured via fake ads impersonating platforms like TradingView, Solana, and Luno.
Background Processing: Embedded ServiceWorker and SharedWorker scripts initiate the payload assembly without waiting for user action.
Client-Side Assembly: The browser fetches a clean Bun runtime along with Base64-encoded PE headers, custom bytecode, and pseudorandom streams to build a unique Windows .exe directly in memory.
Evasion Tactics: Because every session generates a unique file hash, traditional signature/hash-based security controls fail to flag the download.
Key Takeaway for Security Teams & Users: Treating single network artifacts or file hashes as decisive indicators is no longer enough. Defense requires monitoring the entire delivery chain from ad referrals to background worker activity. Always download trading and financial software directly from official vendor sites!

Landmark UK Cybercrime Case: The £29 Million TfL Hack Verdict In a major development for the global cybersecurity and le...
17/07/2026

Landmark UK Cybercrime Case: The £29 Million TfL Hack Verdict
In a major development for the global cybersecurity and legal landscape, two members of the notorious Scattered Spider (also tracked as Octo Tempest, UNC3944, or 0ktapus) threat group have been sentenced to 5.5 years each at Woolwich Crown Court.

This case marks a historic milestone believed to be the first successful prosecution and conviction under Section 3ZA of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, where the defendants admitted to being reckless as to whether they caused a significant risk of serious damage to human welfare.

Key Details of the Transport for London (TfL) Hack:
The Impact: The 2024 attack left 148 TfL systems inoperable and disrupted critical services like Dial-a-Ride for vulnerable citizens.

The Chaos: All 27,000 TfL employees had to go to an office to get their passwords reset in person to contain the breach.

The Cost: Total recovery and operational losses plummeted TfL into a £29 million deficit.

Wider Threat: During his arrest, one of the hackers was found actively attacking US healthcare organizations, showing zero regard for critical, life-saving systems.

Cybersecurity Takeaways & Hardening Defenses:
As cybersecurity professionals, this incident highlights critical vulnerabilities that modern enterprises must patch immediately:

Verify Manual Identity Workflows: Threat actors like Scattered Spider frequently exploit human elements via social engineering (vishing, SIM swapping). We must enforce strict identity verification on password resets, MFA changes, and new device enrollments.

Collaborate with Law Enforcement Early: The NCA emphasized that this landmark conviction succeeded because TfL engaged law enforcement immediately upon detecting the intrusion.

Defense-in-Depth: Rapid network segmentation and active containment (which TfL used to prevent a potential £56 billion broader economic disaster) are vital.

The fight against sophisticated extortion groups continues, but this prosecution sends a clear message to cybercriminals globally.

What are your thoughts on the UK introducing "Cyber Crime Risk Orders" (digital prisons) to restrict offenders' device access? Let's discuss in the comments!

TuxBot v3 Evolution: AI-Assisted IoT Botnet?A new IoT botnet called TuxBot v3 Evolution has been analyzed by cybersecuri...
16/07/2026

TuxBot v3 Evolution: AI-Assisted IoT Botnet?

A new IoT botnet called TuxBot v3 Evolution has been analyzed by cybersecurity researchers, and it shows strong signs of being developed with the help of a Large Language Model (LLM).

Key Highlights:
• AI-generated code was found with an LLM safety disclaimer accidentally left inside the malware source code.
• Targets routers, IP cameras, Android devices, and other IoT systems.
• Uses 1,496 default Telnet credentials to brute-force vulnerable devices.
• Supports multiple CPU architectures, including ARM, MIPS, x86_64, PowerPC, and RISC-V.
• Features encrypted Command-and-Control (C2) communication, Domain Generation Algorithm (DGA), IRC, DNS, HTTP, and P2P channels.
• Includes DDoS attack modules, vulnerability scanners, SOCKS5 proxy, and persistence mechanisms.
• Researchers believe it shares infrastructure with the Keksec botnet ecosystem.

Why It Matters
This case demonstrates how AI can accelerate malware development. Although the analyzed version contains coding mistakes, it shows that attackers can use AI to build sophisticated cyber tools much faster than before.

How to Stay Protected
Change default usernames and passwords on IoT devices.
Keep device firmware updated.
Disable Telnet and other unused remote services.
Restrict internet exposure of IoT devices.
Monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.

How Pentera Turns AI Security Workflows into Validation EnginesAI is transforming cybersecurity by helping security team...
15/07/2026

How Pentera Turns AI Security Workflows into Validation Engines

AI is transforming cybersecurity by helping security teams analyze alerts, prioritize risks, and accelerate response. But there's one challenge: AI is only as effective as the data it relies on.

Traditional security tools generate thousands of alerts based on severity scores, threat intelligence, and vulnerability scans. However, these signals don't always reveal whether an attacker can actually exploit them.

That's where security validation changes the game.

Instead of relying on assumptions, Pentera safely emulates real-world attack techniques to validate whether vulnerabilities are truly exploitable. This enables security teams to focus on proven attack paths rather than theoretical risks.

Key Benefits

Validates real attack paths across your environment
Prioritizes risks based on actual exploitability
Integrates with AI workflows using the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Provides evidence-based remediation guidance
Re-tests after remediation to verify that security gaps have been eliminated

With Pentera's MCP integration, AI assistants can answer questions such as:

* Which vulnerabilities are actually exploitable?
* What attack paths resulted in privilege escalation?
* Has the latest remediation successfully closed the attack path?

The future of cybersecurity isn't just AI powered it's AI validated by real attack evidence**.

New macOS Threat Alert: CrashStealer Bypasses Gatekeeper with Notarized DropperMacs are safe, right? Well, threat actors...
14/07/2026

New macOS Threat Alert: CrashStealer Bypasses Gatekeeper with Notarized Dropper
Macs are safe, right? Well, threat actors are continuously proving otherwise.
A newly discovered macOS information stealer named CrashStealer is making waves in the cybersecurity community. Discovered by Jamf Threat Labs, this malware stands out not just for what it steals, but how it gets delivered and evades detection.
Here is a quick breakdown of what makes CrashStealer a sophisticated threat:
1. The Gatekeeper Bypass (The Clever Hook) Instead of relying on typical unsigned or suspicious scripts, the attackers distribute CrashStealer via a disk image (Werkbit.dmg) containing a signed and Apple-notarized dropper (Werkbit.app). Because it carries a valid developer ID, it sails right past macOS Gatekeeper checks without triggering warnings.
2. Gated & Targeted Delivery The malware is hosted on werkbit[.]io (registered in June 2026), but the download is gated behind a meeting PIN. This means the payload is only served to targeted victims who have the access code, making it incredibly hard for automated sandboxes to analyze.
3. Written in Native C++ Unlike common macOS stealers that rely on AppleScript or Objective-C wrappers, CrashStealer is written in native C++. It features: • Analysis Resistance: Control-flow flattening and encrypted strings to frustrate reverse engineers. • Local Validation: It prompts the user for their password and validates it locally before using it to unlock the login keychain.
4. The Massive Harvest Once active, it packages and exfiltrates: • Credentials from Chromium-family browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera, etc.). • Data from 14 major password managers (including 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, and Keeper). • Access to ~80 cryptocurrency wallet extensions (MetaMask, Coinbase, Phantom, etc.). • Files from ~/Documents and ~/Downloads directories.
Key Takeaway for Security Teams Apple's "Notarization" is a powerful security layer, but it is not a silver bullet. Attackers are successfully abusing valid developer IDs to clear Gatekeeper checks. Modern endpoint security cannot rely solely on signature-based checks or trust-by-default certificates—behavioral monitoring and strict application controls are vital.
How is your organization monitoring macOS endpoints against signed but malicious binaries? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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Lahore Garrison University. , Sector C DHA Phase 6
Lahore

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Tuesday 08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 16:00
Thursday 08:00 - 16:00
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