Have You Resold Your Data?

People think that data on your discarded hard drive is as good as gone? Good chance it’s not, even if you reformatted it. One computer forensics company analyzed 70 old hard drives purchased from 14 different places. Confidential data was recovered from 63% of the 60 drives that were still operational.

Where is the FBI Losing Data?

According to the Inspector General, An average of at least three or four FBI laptop computers are MIA (Missing In Action) each month. The FBI was unable to say in many instances whether information on the machines is sensitive or classified, the Justice Department's inspector general said Monday. The FBI has not corrected problems as urged in a report five years ago. Cybercrime theft or just forgot the machine at the airport?

FBI And Missing Laptop Computers

FBI cybercrime information has been lost or stolen. Computers used for Computer Forensics have been lost. According to the Washington Post, the FBI has lost 160 laptop computers, including at least 10 containing classified information. One held "personal identifying information on FBI personnel," according to a report. One field office reported a stolen laptop containing software for creating identification badges. Another field office reported a stolen laptop that had been used to process surveillance-related electronic digital imaging.

Government Orders Scrubbing of Computer Hard Drives

The Air Force Academy has ordered its cadets to commence scrubbing their computers for illicit or illegal material. The cadets said they have been ordered to go through their computer files this weekend and erase any improper data, including illegally acquired music and videos as well as pornography. The data destruction was ordered amidst allegations of cheating. All 4300 cadets were confined to their barracks. If there was child pornography, mere deletion of the data will not protect the cadets, as computer forensic technology can still uncover alleged cyber crimes.

Florida Computer Crime Center

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has created a Florida Computer Crime Center, code named "FC3." They will investigate computer related crime and investigate complex computer crimes. FC3 will also assist with regional investigations and work to identify computer criminals. Investigations will include cases where computers are used to facilitate or help with the crime - child pornography, fraud, banking scams, drugs, and child exploitation, hacking, denial of service attacks, virus replication, network intrusions and cyber terrorism. FC3 intends to identify and harden potential cyber targets in Florida.

Innocent Images Task Force

Steve Cole, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa, explained that the Innocent Images Task Force is made up of FBI agents and detectives from local law enforcement and the U.S. Probation Office. The proliferation of child pornography and child sexual exploitation facilitated by the Internet is viewed as a major law enforcement task. Cole said, “The mission of the Innocent Images Task Force is to reduce the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse through computers,” he said.

Using the Department of Homeland Security's resources for computer forensics, the task force seeks convict internet users of computer crimes. most of even the most minor offenses include a stint in federal prison.