| In the global village called the internet, | | | | document a crime scene. This should include |
| not everyone plays nice. You always hear of | | | | the order of hard drives, modem, LAN, storage |
| the word "hack". It is mostly used in | | | | subsystems, cable connections, and wireless |
| relation to invading of computers. Most of | | | | networking hardware. The analyst may make a |
| these are not entirely true but computer | | | | diagram to go along with the digital |
| network systems do get hacked. If and when it | | | | photographs. They will also take portable |
| does happen, it usually involves something | | | | storage devices within the area that may |
| sinister. Even employees of companies do | | | | contain substantial evidence. 3. The computer |
| engage in snooping or to use our favorite | | | | forensic expert must take all the evidence to |
| word, hacking. The birth of the internet has | | | | the lab. This is because the analyst should |
| led to more of this. Anyone can be anything | | | | not examine the evidence in the same |
| online. This is why fraud, phishing, and | | | | hardware. People who engage in cyber crimes |
| identity theft happen. The computer has | | | | are also aware that important data can be |
| become an important part of everyday life. | | | | retrieved to convict them. Countermeasures, |
| Sending letters have been entirely changed by | | | | viruses and booby traps may be installed in |
| emails. Communications have been dominated by | | | | the system to damage electronic evidence. |
| instant and text messaging. Portable storage | | | | Analysts take the hard drive in their lab |
| devices that were an exclusive preserve of | | | | instead to make an exact duplicate of its |
| Information Technology professionals are now | | | | contents. This process is called Imaging. |
| used by the general public. I think you are | | | | Analysts have their own tools to make sure |
| already getting the idea of why computer | | | | that the data is copied completely and |
| forensics are needed. In the event that | | | | accurately. The duplicate will then be |
| hacking does occur, the computer forensic | | | | verified by an algorithm. The data is then |
| will do the following: 1. Like any other | | | | examined and analyzed. The analyst makes a |
| investigation, the computer forensic must | | | | report of his or her findings and the process |
| handle the area as a crime scene. He or she | | | | that was taken during the investigation |
| will take digital photographs and secure | | | | starting from the acquisition of the data. |
| documentary evidence. This will include | | | | This evidence will be presented in court if |
| printouts, notes and disks in the scene. If | | | | prosecution is necessary. The computer |
| you are the one who hired the computer | | | | forensic plays many roles and duties in the |
| forensic expert, you should leave everything | | | | criminal justice field. It is hard to cover |
| to them. The computer system should be left | | | | all of them in this short article. I |
| as is whether it is turned on or off. If the | | | | encourage you to do more reading if you are |
| computer was left on, the analyst will gather | | | | interested in this field. You can do this by |
| all the information that he or she can from | | | | visiting websites that cover the profession |
| the running applications. The computer will | | | | in more detail. Note: You are free to reprint |
| then be shutdown in a way that the data will | | | | or republish this article. The only condition |
| not be lost. Doing a standard shutdown or | | | | is that the links should be clickable. |
| pulling the plug is not an option. Both of | | | | |
| these methods may cause the loss or damage of | | | | Copywrite Kenneth Echie. Kenneth writes for |
| the data in the computer system. 2. The | | | | Criminal Justice Degrees. Get free |
| forensic investigator must then document the | | | | scholarship report and learn about Computer |
| configuration of the system as you would | | | | Forensics by visiting. |