Computer Forensic Tool Testing

National Institute of Justice - Computer Forensic Tool Testing: "The objective of the Computer Forensics Tool Testing project is to provide a measure of assurance that the tools used in computer forensics investigations produce accurate results. This is accomplished by developing specifications and test methods for computer forensics tools and then testing specific tools to those specifications. The test results provide the information necessary for toolmakers to improve tools, for users to make informed choices about acquiring and using computer forensics tools, and for the legal community and others to understand the tools' capabilities. Our approach for testing computer forensic tools is based on well recognized methodologies for conformance testing and quality testing. "

Computer Forensics Tool Verification Project Overivew

Project Overivew: "The Computer Forensics Tools Verification project provides a measure of assurance that the tools used in the investigations of computer-related crimes produce valid results. It also supports other projects in the National Institute of Justice�s overall computer forensics research program, such as the National Software Reference Library (NSRL)."

Computer Forensic File Recovery Tools

"There is a critical need in the law enforcement community to ensure the reliability of computer forensic tools. A capability is required to ensure that forensic software tools consistently produce accurate and objective results. The goal of the Computer Forensic Tool Testing (CFTT) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is to establish a methodology for testing computer forensic software tools by development of general tool specifications, test procedures, test criteria, test sets, and test hardware. The results provide the information necessary for toolmakers to improve tools, for users to make informed choices about acquiring and using computer forensics tools, and for interested parties to understand the tools capabilities." See File Recovery Project

FBI conducts clandestine surveillance of citizens

FBI conducts clandestine surveillance of citizens -DAWN - Top Stories; October 25, 2005

"WASHINGTON, Oct 24: Previously classified documents released on Monday show that the FBI has conducted clandestine surveillance on US citizens and legal residents for as long as 18 months at a time without proper paperwork or oversight.

Some of the violations found in the documents included � Improper searches and seizures of bank records. � Violation of bank privacy statutes. � Improper collection of e-mails after warrants had expired.

FBI officials, however, say that most of the violations were simply administrative errors."

Computer Forensics, Cybercrime and Steganography

"Computer forensics, still a rather new discipline in computer security, focuses on finding digital evidence after a computer security incident has occured.

The goal of computer forensics is to do a structured investigation and find out exactly what happened on a digital system, and who was responsible for it.

There are essentially three phases for recovering evidence from a computer system or storage medium. Those phases are: (1) acquire, (2) analyze, and (3) report. Often, the results of a forensic investigation are used in criminal proceedings." See http://www.forensics.nl/

Lawyers in Blogland (Computer Attorney Tampa Florida)

From the Florida Bar News: "Law blogs are exploding and Florida lawyers are in on the action

By Jan Pudlow
Senior Editor

Armed with a Dummies book on html, a software program called “Blogger,” and plenty of curiosity, St. Petersburg lawyer Matt Conigliaro set out to write the code for a legal blog he could call his own.

For two months in the spring of 2003, on weekends and in the middle of the night, he hunched over his computer fine-tuning Abstract Appeal, billing it as “the first Web log devoted to Florida law and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.” Then he set it free into the blogosphere.

Little did he realize that because of his blog, he would be quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and CourtTV.com during the raging controversy of the Terri Schiavo end-of-life case. "

Your Laser Printer is a Spy

Techtree News Staff

Oct 19, 2005



"The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a consumer privacy and digital rights organization, has analyzed codes embedded in printouts in color laser printers. The code cracked by the EFF was an invisible bar code that contained the serial number of the printer for tracking users as well as the date and time a page was printed.



In Xerox printers the code appears in a pattern of yellow dots visible only with a magnifying glass and a blue light. The codes are supposed to be for government agencies looking out for counterfeit currency printers. "