Computer Forensic Investigator’s Role in Cases

Abstract
Today, more and more people are using their computers for everything, from communication, to online banking and investing, to shopping. As we do these things on a more regular basis, we open ourselves up to potential hackers and attackers. While some may be looking to phish your personal or proprietary information and identity for resale, others simply just want to use your computer as a platform from which to attack other unknowing targets.
The people responsible for computer security and digital forensic examination need to continually update their skills, tools and knowledge to stay abreast with fast growing technology of today. In this day and time you can no longer just unplug a computer and leave it to be evaluated later at the lab. Information that is on computers is so critical to the investigation of a case. Systems today can easily lose data just by unplugging and turning it off, making it hard to recover any evidence needed. Without policies and procedures, investigators, one wouldn’t know this, two would potentially destroy and corrupt any evidence admissible in court and the whole unit would be lost and a total failure. That is why it is important that management establish guidelines and procedures. Although with technology continuing to change, constant revisions will be made to these documents, but ensuring they stay updated is most crucial of all. Computer Forensic examiners and investigators have a very important job and we rely on them heavenly to be the best at it. This paper will cover the roles and the importance’s computer forensics has in cases.

Computer forensics is a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage media. The goal of computer forensics is to examine digital media in a forensically sound manner with the