Indecent images - The Dark side of the Web

‘Child pornography’ – perhaps the most emotive of criminal offences. ‘Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO) statistics suggest that 84% of the overall case load for High Tech Crime Units across the UK involves indecent imagery and child abuse investigations. This area of crime is often seen as the ‘dark side of the web’ and as a result is perhaps the least discussed. In cases of this nature the courts are concerned with the question of intent, creation, possession, dissemination, and the social context of any wrongdoing. As the most investigations...

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The Increasing Importance Of Forensic Computing In Criminal Cases

In 1965 Gordon Moore wrote in Electronics Magazine his theory on the potential for computational evolution ˜increasing at a factored rate of double per year”. Whilst his law has since been tempered based on actual industry development life-cycles, his prophetic statement still holds largely true and today there is almost no walk of life or industry where computers and information networks have not become deeply integrated and criminals have moved in step with technical advances, discovering ways in which to leverage IT to facilitate the commissioning...

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Obscene Images & Media

The Essentials: The Protection of Children Act of 1978 (as amended) defines what media is considered illegal by the British courts by establishing tests and definitions of ˜obscenity’. Due to the nature of these types of offences and the fact charges often relate to the abuse of minors, there is considerable social stigma attached to this sphere of law, making it an area rarely discussed or debated. The Act forbids the creation, showing, distribution, possession for showing or distribution, and advertisement of obscene media. Whilst the...

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The Importance Of SIM Cards:

There are more mobile telephones in the UK then there are people this pervasive technology impacts on almost all areas of industry and life. Unsurprisingly, mobile communications have enabled old crime to be effected in new ways and mobile telephones are increasingly forming a part of criminal prosecutions, where linkages between individuals or evidence of being at the scene of the crime is provided by an analysis of the digital evidence available within the mobile phones. At the heart of every mobile telephone is the Subscriber Identity...

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Social media forensics & Madeleine McCann

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann remains unresolved. The 3-year-old went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in 2007. Since 2011 thirty Metropolitan Police Officers, headed by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Heywood, have been trawling through thousands of witness statements and documents at the cost of £5 million, hoping to unearth a vital clue that will resolve the case. Last week we learned that phone records could hold the key, but let’s consider the role of social media. First, some clarity… Social media refers to the...

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Madeleine McCann - Phone Records, Forensics & big data

Madeleine McCann, aged 3, disappeared from a holiday villa in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on the evening of the 3rd May 3 2007. Despite one of the largest publicity campaigns and worldwide searches in history, she remains missing. Her parents, Gerry and Kate, have led a campaign to find their daughter, refusing to give up hope. In 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron, ordered a fresh review of the original Portuguese police investigation and drafted in thirty Scotland Yard detectives to help sift through the vast volumes of information...

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Telephone Record Evidence

Telecommunication evidence’ is the broad term used to describe any data/information retained or otherwise available from the communication service provider (CSP, such as ‘T-Mobile’ and ‘Orange’), and which has probative value for investigative or legal purposes. ‘Call Data Records’ (CDRs), sometimes referred to as ‘Call Detail Records’ (CDRs), are statements that provide information relating to the usage of the telecommunication services provided by a given operator by a specific user. The following information would be created and retained...

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ACPO Guide Electronic evidence

The fragile nature of digital evidence, coupled with the complexity and skill required to conduct an assessment that will bear the scrutiny of a court of law, makes it important to independently validate and verify the findings of the forensic assessor. One of the fundamental tenants ‘Best Practice’ for the evaluation of electronic evidence – including telecommunication data – is that assessments are made on forensically sound and digitally perfect copies of the original media. This ensures that the target media cannot be tainted or corrupted,...

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Regulation of investigatory powers act 2000

An investigation into people trafficking across European borders, a requirement to tap and listen in on the conversations of a known drug baron, intercepting emails within a paedophile ring, attempting to crack a terrorist’s encrypted drive containing plans for attacks. What does each of these scenarios have in common? They all require the support of a legislative tool known as the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). The RIP Act, commonly referred to as RIPA, was introduced in the year 2000 in order to establish much needed protocols...

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Facebook Evidence

Facebook™ is a social networking service that allows users to interact with other Internet users, sharing media and messages. A user is able to contact other individuals by adding them to their ‘friends list’, which enables them to be able to write on other friends’ walls (i.e. a space for public commentary) and leave tags on photographs. Users are also able to communicate by sending instant messages which can sometimes be stored on the user’s machine and messages, similar to emails. The owner of the account is able to adjust privacy settings so...

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An introduction to Cell Site Analysis

The Soham murders involving Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells was one of the most high profile cases to be reported and documented in the last ten years. Cell site analysis played a critical part in the investigation throughout and ultimately helped to convict Ian Huntley of murder. Cell site analysis aims to determine the geographical location of a mobile phone through analysis of data records, transmit and receive beacons (cell sites) and signal strength of a specific area. Although not an exact science, it is a technique that can be applied...

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eDiscovery and Forensic Accounting

In a world where technology is constantly evolving and being utilised, computer forensic techniques and E-discovery play an increasingly important role in forensic accounting. Fraud, in particular, is a problematic area of crime that commonly requires both computer forensic and forensic accounting expertise. E-discovery is the process of identifying, preserving and presenting electronically stored information that may be relevant to criminal or civil litigation. In fraud, E-discovery is rapidly being depended on by forensic accountants and the...

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