Computer Forensics – 21st Century Investigations 

A computer forensic investigation is the analysis of information stored on digital media to determine what actions were performed, and by whom. Based on ‘old crimes, new technology’, computers allow another dimension to evidential material, that must be explored during an investigation.

Every file created, and any activity that is conducted on a computer leaves a trail that can be followed and investigated by an expert, and produced as evidence. The acquisition of digital data is highly dependent on the maintaining of its integrity.

It is known that the word delete in relation to computer files does not actually mean delete. More often than not, the deleted data will remain present on the storage of the computer, usually on the hard drive in unallocated space, until such time that it is overwritten or securely erased. With the right skills and tools, these files can be recovered and provided for assessment.

Many more actions can also be investigated. A modern operating system such as Microsoft Windows™ creates files and logs that allow an expert to determine who did what, when and how. A forensic expert can piece together such information to reveal a computer user’s conduct a long time after the events took place.

The following are just some examples of the type of evidence that can be obtained. A computer forensic expert can determine;

• Custodian login history
• Documents that have been created, opened, or modified
• Internet history including deleted history
• Which documents/files contain relevant keywords
• What storage devices have been attached to a computer, and what if anything was copied to or from them
• Identify contacts from Instant Messenger and/or Skype with the possibility of chat history
• The contents of encrypted or password-protected files

4MAT Data Solutions is a solution focused company, and will adapt

 to a clients’ individual requirements