Patent ID: 7900044

Claim:
In a data communications network including a server, client device, and target device, a method for remotely conducting forensic investigations of the target device, the method comprising: authenticating the client device; transmitting a first cryptographic key to the client device; authenticating the target device; transmitting a second cryptographic key to the target device; receiving from the client device over the data communications network, a request for conducting an investigation of the target device, the request including identification of the target device, the request being encrypted via the first cryptographic key; generating an investigation session key in response to the investigation request; transmitting the session key to the client device, the session key to the client device being encrypted via the first cryptographic key; transmitting the session key to the target device, the session key to the target device being encrypted via the second cryptographic key; receiving an investigation command from the client device, the investigation command being encrypted via the session key; and forwarding the encrypted investigation command to the target device, wherein the target device transmits to the client device an output responsive to the investigation command, the output being encrypted via the session key.