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

Preface

This book is different from other books on the topic of computer forensics insofar as the intended audience is not computer forensic professionals and technicians but instead the users of computer forensic services.

Much has been written on the topic of computer forensics from a highly technical perspective, but little exists to help guide an attorney, a judge, a regulator, an executive, or an accountant along important decision points and requirements for the deployment of computer forensic services for the purposes of investigation.

This volume seeks to demystify many of the computer forensic techniques and various technical terms and procedures used during the capture and analysis and presentation of electronic data within the context of investigation or litigation.

It also provides a viewpoint as to where the world of digital data is taking us. At times you may agree or disagree with some of the positions taken here and that is exactly the point. We are operating in a new world where the nuances of electronic data and its impact on our daily lives can no longer be adjudicated to one linear line of thought or reason. The reality is that the relationship that data has for each of us is often highly subjective and the investigative techniques that support fact-finding in this digital age are still developing their focus.

This book has nine chapters, each of which deals with various aspects of the world of investigative computer forensics. Many of the topics that are touched ...