School of Computer Science

Computer Forensics-Catching and Convicting the Electronic Criminal

Date(s)
Tuesday 20th October 2009 (12:15-13:15)
Contact
Samantha Stapleford Tel: 0115 9514225 Email: samantha.stapleford@nottingham.acuk
Description
Computer forensics is a relatively new and expanding field of computer science in which Paul has been involved for the past 4 years. Computer forensics is closely related to computer security but picks up when the latter might have failed. It also involves areas not usually associated with security issues like the lone paedophile downloading unlawful images or a network of terrorists plotting some dreadful act. The gathering and analysis of evidential artefacts from computer systems can take a great deal of technical knowledge involving techniques akin to reverse engineering and other skills.

The ultimate aim of computer forensics is the presentation of technical evidence in a court of law (civil or criminal). This evidence has to be delivered in a form that can be understood by the lay person and must conform to all the rules relating to evidence. Any technical reports must therefore fulfil the need to be simple and accurate but have the detailed evidence to support any conclusions.

In this talk Paul will outline a criminal case from the point where information is first received, through to the final court case. En-route he will explain how proof is built up from artefacts left behind on the computer and how common defences such as trojans and viruses are dealt with.

DC Paul Tew has been in the police force for 24 years, as a beat manager, police law trainer and after gaining a BSc in computing from the Open University, is currently working as a forensic analyst (computers). He has been involved in the successful prosecution of around one hundred offenders where the evidence has involved computer data and has given expert evidence at court on many occasions. He was heavily involved in the prosecution of Jonathan Hipkiss, the first person in Nottinghamshire (and only the third in the country) to be prosecuted for failing to disclose a password. Paul is also an Associate Lecturer at the Open University, lecturing on computer forensics and investigations, and acts as a Consultant to the Open University on the same subject.

…followed by an opportunity to meet the speaker over drinks and buffet

School of Computer Science

University of Nottingham
Jubilee Campus
Wollaton Road
Nottingham, NG8 1BB

For all enquires please visit:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/enquire