Investigative Computer Forensics: The Practical Guide for Lawyers, Accountants, Investigators, and Business Executives

CHAPTER 1

The Glue

The global fabric that holds together social, political, and business structures is largely dependent on—or, at the very least, highly impacted by—the movement of electronic data at the speed of light. Routed through an endless array of devices, switches, cables, fibers, satellites, and the atmosphere itself, these systems have their own inherent vulnerabilities and strengths.

But aside from the obvious impact that is so widely reported that the global networks have had on society and the world as we know it, this information revolution has taken within its clutch the mechanics of such precious and unique human qualities as trust, privacy, and truth and in very meaningful ways has either enhanced or modified these constructs or in some cases threatens to obliterate them.

The converse, however, may also be true that these same precepts that provide the glue that society thrives on may over the long haul be strengthened and enhanced by these predictable, self-healing, and potentially transparent networks—networks that may allow the population of the planet to police itself in real time.

Is it possible that the global networks are not the instrument of an evil Big Brother but are in fact the technical incarnation of an earth-coating truth serum that will disallow and prevent antisocial behavior on the part of individuals, groups, and institutions? Could it be that the greater good of humankind finally transcends the individual negatives of petty criminals, Ponzi ...