Delving Deep into Suspects' Computers

You may not take the lead in a computer forensic investigation, but knowledge of binary files and metadata will help you understand some methods of catching fraudsters. 

On March 26, 1999, Melissa began her worldwide rampage.

Computer cracker David L. Smith unleashed the computer virus with the feminine name that crippled network systems and cost the business world in excess of an estimated $80 million.

I want to teach you some of the same forensic computing investigation techniques that helped catch Smith and convict him of interruption of public communication, theft of computer service, and wrongful access to computer systems. These are advanced techniques that you can use to find the evidence you need to convict fraudsters in your business or those of your clients.

Mystery Dispelled
For many fraud examiners, the gathering of electronic evidence from a suspect's hard drive can appear to be an arcane business. Though many turn to specialists to search computers, those in charge of investigations should understand the methodology of evidence gathering and presentation.

Computer forensics isn't as mystical as it may appear. I'd like to walk you through a case I recently worked on to examine the types of information electronic documents can contain. We'll focus on the software package you probably use - Microsoft Office.