Computer forensics relates to the application of analytical techniques employed to collect, recover, authenticate, preserve and analyse electronic data for legal purposes.
Put simply, applied forensic computing comprises four main stages, namely:
Identifying sources of digital evidence
Securing and preserving identified evidence
Analysing the evidence
Documenting legally admissible evidence
According to computer forensics world the most likely scenarios in which forensic computing is employed include, the accidential or deliberate unauthorized disclosure of corporate data, employee internet abuse, damage assessment and analysis, industrial espionage and criminal fraud and deception cases.
Computer Forensics Degree Directory
See following link to check out a selection of schools, colleges and Universtites that offer computer forensics programs and training.
Computer Forensics: Principles and Practices By Linda Volonino et al
Book Information
The demand for computer forensics experts greatly exceeds the supply. With the rapid growth of technology in all parts of our lives, criminal activity must be tracked down and investigated using electronic methods that require up-to-date techniques and knowledge of the latest software tools.
Authors Linda Volonino, Jana Godwin, and Reynaldo Anzaldua share their expertise to give you the legal, technical, and investigative skills you need to launch your career in computer forensics. You can also use Computer Forensics: Principles and Practices to help you advance in careers such as criminal justice, accounting, law enforcement, and federal investigation.
Computer Forensics: Principles and Practices gives you in-depth understanding of:
Using the correct investigative tools and procedures to maximize effectiveness of evidence gathering. Keeping evidence in pristine condition so it will be admissible in a legal action. Investigating large-scale attacks such as identity theft, fraud, phishing, extortion, and malware infections. The legal foundations for proper handling of traditional and electronic evidence such as the Federal Rules of Evidence and Procedure as well as the Fourth Amendment and other laws regarding search warrants and civil rights. Practical tools such as FTK, EnCase, Passware, Ethereal, LADS, WinHex, GIMP, Camouflage, and Snort.
This book is filled with tools to help you move beyond simply learning concepts and help you apply them. These tools include:
In Practice tutorials: Apply concepts and learn by doing.
Exercises and Projects: Assignments to employ your new skills.
Case Studies: Apply what you learn in real-world scenarios.
Additional testing materials and projects to reinforce book lessons.
Downloadable checklists and templates used in the book.
A handy tool for forensic investigators which can extract history encoded in the history files of various IM messengers. You can get more information on the Forensic IM Extractor and try it out for free by Clicking Here.