Digital Forensics for Investigators

What is Digital Forensics?

Digital Forensics is the terminology used when digital artifacts reasonably be collected by a computer system to a lawyer. In other words, artifacts such as documents, spreadsheets, images and e-mail storage capacity is read by a digital computer, PDA or other digital devices. The material is then analyzed and stored. This process can often be done even if the data are intentionallydeleted. Digital Forensics method, the examiner and forensic digital evidence to reveal the exact time and date information is created, installed or downloaded, and when it was last accessed. Although the first computer crimes occurred in 1970, computer forensics is a relatively new field. Even though we now have multiple PCs and mobile users than ever, the application of digital forensics is growing rapidly. Laptop, PDA andPhones with the ability to store images that connect to the Internet and e-mail more often requiring the need for digital forensics to criminal litigation, corporate espionage is to organize, and accusations of child pornography, also acts terrorism and the practices and behavior of employees who are married to cheat the discontented, all have one thing in common: they often use computer systems and mobile deviceshelp them to unethical acts and crimes. The evidence that these activities is to leave behind easily through the process of digital forensic evidence.

Digital Forensics or Computer Forensics?

In the past, the computer forensics investigation had PC and laptop systems as a primary objective. In recent years, computer forensics field has been forced to expand the scope, means and methods inis used to keep the personal technology by ordinary citizens. Devices like mobile phones, PDA, Blackberry and GPS-based systems used on a daily basis, and can provide important information to test SMS e-mail contains the reports of previous phone and GPS coordinates. Therefore, the term digital forensics is becoming more popular, the computer forensics field, expanded to include digital analysis of new technical devices.

What can a digital expertForensic Examiner do?

A qualified digital forensic examiners can delete the files on your computer. He or she can view Web pages were visited and removed from a particular computer, even after the browser history and cache have been deleted. A digital forensic examiner is able to review previous messages sent and received via instant messaging and chat application such as Yahoo Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger. The forensic process will also restoreerased or hidden pictures and e-mail messages. In addition to the forensic examiner is trained to analyze and recreate deleted text messages and call lists of mobile phones, PDAs and Blackberry devices.

As the detective can take advantage of Digital Forensics

Digital Forensics, the detective in many ways, especially by identifying key information and save time and help. are often 2-3 hours of digital techniques of forensic investigations in a position to suspendmore tests then several days of surveillance and dumpster diving. The deleted data from digital devices such as mobile phones text messages and other actions are often recoverable, for example, your spouse of a chat client? If the deleted e-mail refundable? What to visit suspect sites?

Some examples to understand how digital forensics is to help the detective in specific cases and issues:

AdulteryCases:

Online chats, or SMS are often used to organize meetings and provide secret communication to avoid suspicion by the spouse.

Fraud:

You can often determine when and if a document has been changed. If the document was produced by a typewriter, or at least there is always an electronic copy exists somewhere. In addition to the most popular word processing programs Microsoft Word, part of the Microsoft Office suite embedded meta-datain each document. This set of metadata can provide important information as the identity of the author and the computer where the document. The same applies to Microsoft Excel.

Tailing a suspect:

Imagine if tailing a suspect, such as information that could be his last goal of becoming acquainted before the sale. Impossible, you say! This is not necessarily so, especially if the individual car journeysand uses a GPS (Global Positioning System). to allow some of the recent advances in digital forensics to retrieve information from most popular GPS systems.

Harassment:

There are many different types of harassment. E 'is often the case that your client can not receive in person only harassment, but also by phone or e-mail. may retain a forensic report of calls received by phone and use it as evidencemaintaining a strict chain of custody. Each e-mail from a specific source to a target-specific information sheets sent e-mail included. This information is referred to as e-mail headers. The forensic examiner can analyze e-mail headers and trace the origins of the IP address from which it was submitted.

Monitoring:

When you look at the monitor, most think of traditional techniques, such as stalking, stalking and surveillance video. But moderncomputer techniques can also be a valuable resource for investigators and private. There are devices such as spyware and keyloggers, I suspect computer provides real-time information, what, where, when things have taken a place on and beyond.

Who has the right equipment to search for a computer or digital?

The Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful search and seizure applies only to state agencies like the police. The fourthThe change does not apply for private research. You can search by an individual or person who authorized the spouse has a legal right to the data stored on your computer, such as employers o. Since computers are owned jointly, both spouses can give permission to a private computer for research

Conclusion:

In the dynamic world of private investigation is important to adapt to new technologies and can offer competitive services to customershighest degree. Above all, it is important to keep your clients in your domain for all their investigative needs. Therefore, training private investigators in the art of digital forensics or partnership with a forensics expert is a necessary step to ensure not only the stability and longevity of your business, but to ensure that it is prepared to the requirements of the technology needs of the needs future.

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