| While the computer has created a surge in | | | | Although tech-savvy criminals can make the process |
| productivity for companies, it has also opened the | | | | of uncovering data difficult, it i's not impossible. Every |
| door for employees to perform higher level crimes | | | | digital action leaves a footprint and even data that |
| that can devastate companies. Most employers and | | | | appears to be "deleted" to the standard user can be |
| staff are shocked when they discover that an | | | | uncovered using computer forensics. |
| employee has been executing crimes right under their | | | | When Computer Forensics Evidence Doesn't Stand |
| noses. The thing with white collar crimes is that | | | | Up in Court: |
| criminals don't necessarily "look"like criminals and they | | | | Sometimes employees will walk away without |
| often proceed for years without being caught. | | | | punishment even with undeniable evidence that they |
| When a company does suspect that a computer | | | | are guilty. When data recovered through computer |
| crime is underway, bringing in a computer forensics | | | | forensics doesn't stand up in court, it's usually not the |
| team is usually the only way to discover the truth. | | | | data itself, but the way in which it was collected. |
| With more intelligent crimes come more intelligent | | | | While an internal IT employee trained in computer |
| cover ups. The standard computer user may not find | | | | forensics is an invaluable asset to any company, |
| a trace of evidence on the employee's computer, but | | | | forensic evidence to be used in court is often best |
| computer forensics can expose a secret world of | | | | handled by an impartial, outside party. |
| lies, deceit, and crafty cover ups. | | | | A court will consider several things when considering |
| Some of the most common inside employee | | | | the merit of the data collected such as: |
| computer crimes are: | | | | -Who gathered the information (were they an |
| -Embezzlement | | | | impartial party?) |
| -Fraud | | | | -Credentials and training of the person collecting the |
| -Insider trading | | | | data |
| -Bribery | | | | -Who had access to the data once collected? |
| -Money laundering | | | | -What was the chain of custody of the evidence? |
| -Identity theft | | | | -What security measures were in place to ensure |
| -Intellectual property theft | | | | interested parties did not have access to the |
| How White Collar Criminals Try to Cover Their | | | | information? |
| Tracks: | | | | For companies that will choose to use their in house |
| Someone who is intentionally engaging in illegal | | | | IT team to gather information, it is essential to have |
| activities will take often predicable precautions to | | | | a well-documented standard process for handling |
| cover their tracks. Some protective measures that a | | | | data, detailing the chain of custody and the way in |
| criminal may use to avoid being caught are: | | | | which the data will be stored. When computer |
| -Wiping tools | | | | forensics is handled inside of a company, the integrity |
| -Encrypting data | | | | of the data after it has been collected is at a much |
| -Secure deletion tools | | | | higher risk than when choosing an independent third |
| -Remote data storage devices | | | | party. Using the proper tools and procedures can help |
| -Steganography (writing hidden messages) | | | | to mitigate that risk. |
| -Digital data compression | | | | |