Computing Forensics
(Computer Science N301)
By
Maria A. Diez
December 8, 2008
Computer forensics also known as digital forensics is considered to be the use of analytical and investigation techniques to identify, collect, examine, and preserve evidence or information which is magnetically stored or encoded. Digital forensics is the process of reconstructing and analyzing digital information. All digital information, regardless of file format, is stored in binary code, commonly recognized as 1’s and 0’s; it can be in many different types of devices such as: computers, cell phones, i-pods, memory disks, flash drives, and hard drive etc.
A forensic investigation can be initiated for a variety of reasons; the main goal of an investigation is to attribute the crime to its perpetrator by uncovering forceful relations between the offender, victim, and crime scene. When dealing with online illegal behaviors such as child pornography or criminals who hack into computer systems and steal money or confidential files forensic cop computing comes into play and is a major part in being able to bring justice to the system. One of the codes of belief of digital forensics is to assure that the original media is not distorted, and that the methods used to create forensic eminence copies of media and data assure that the integrity of the original is unaltered.
Figure 1
http://ncfs.ucf.edu/digital_evd_clip_image002.jpg
According to Locard’s Exchange Principle, anyone, or anything, entering a crime scene takes something of the scene with them, and leaves something of them behind when they leave.( ). The most high profile are usually with respect to criminal investigation or civil court case, but digital forensic techniques can be of value in a wide variety of situations including possibly re-tracking steps taken when data has been lost. The guidelines for seizing computers and digital evidence; if the computer is powered “off” do not turn it on, the...