How the Level of Government Technology Determines the Success and Effectiveness of Computer and Digital Forensics

The Meaning Of Computer Forensics

Computer forensics is a branch in forensic science entailing the process of investigating crimes committed by the use of computer technology, mostly over the internet. The word ‘Forensics' is commonly understood to mean bringing to court. Most states have enacted laws to regulate the admissibility, collecting, preserving and adducing of evidence collected though computer forensic technology in courts. This is often confused with the term digital forensics. The two terms are, however, generally related.

The meaning of digital forensics

Digital forensics is a forensic science branch, which encompasses the recovery and investigation of all the data and materials found or stored in the digital devices. Earlier, this term was synonymous to the computer forensics (discussed above) in relation to computer crime.

Its meaning has, however, been expanded to cover the investigation of all the digital devices which can store data including phones, cameras, memory cards, flash disks, CDs and DVDs, etc. It also includes the analysis of DNA, fingerprints, blood samples and other related items; it requires expertise of the highest degree.

These two technical terms are commonly used when discussing matters to do with computer or internet security. The perpetrators of a crime over the internet may be residing in different countries. The victims may be from several different and distant countries. It requires sophisticated government technology to trace those responsible for the crime being investigated.

It also requires the cooperation of the law enforcement authorities from different countries if the crime is extra territorial.

The process of investigation and prosecution of crimes committed over the internet is complex. It involves a complex system of tracing and collecting evidence, analyzing, organizing and then presenting it in court. The level and extent of government technology is directly related to its capability of dealing with computer crimes. The government must train its judicial officers, investigators and prosecutors on mobile device forensics, digital forensics, database forensics and internet forensics, in order to deal with computer crimes effectively.

Most crimes committed by the use of computers and over the internet are orchestrated and executed by well-trained computer professionals. The simple counter cyber crime training offered to most law enforcement authorities in the developing countries cannot meet the challenge of the internet hackers, online impostors, money launders and various other computer criminals. The successful investigation and prosecutions of computer crimes in the US and European countries, by use of the computer forensics technology, has proven that they are very effective in dealing with such crimes.

Computer Science

Even before the first computer was conceptualized, data had already been stored on hard copy medium and used with a machine.  As early as 1801, the punched card was used as a control device for mechanical looms.  One and one-half centuries later, IBM joined punched cards to computers, encoding binary information as patterns of small rectangular holes.  Today, punch cards are rarely used with computers. Instead, they are used for a handful of train tickets and election ballots.  Although some may find it surprising, a computer printout is another type of hard copy medium.  Pictures, barcodes, and term papers are modern examples of data storage that can later be retrieved using optical technology.  Although it consumes physical space and requires proper care, non-acidic paper printouts can hold information for centuries.  If long-term storage is not of prime concern, magnetic medium can retain tremendous amounts of data and consume less space than a single piece of paper.   The magnetic technology used for computer data storage is the same technology used in the various forms of magnetic tape from audiocassette to videocassette recorders.  One of the first computer storage devices was the magnetic tape drive. Magnetic tape is a sequential data storage medium. To read data, a tape drive must wind through the spool of tape to the exact location of the desired information. To write, the tape drive encodes data sequentially on the tape. Because tape drives cannot randomly access or write data like disk drives, and are thus much slower, they have been replaced as the primary storage device with the hard drive.  The hard drive is composed of thin layers of rigid magnetic platters stacked on top of one another like records in a jukebox, and the heads that read and write data to the spinning platters resemble the arm of a record player.  Floppy disks are another common magnetic storage medium.  They offer relatively small storage capacity when compared to hard drives, but unlike hard drives, are portable.  Floppy disks are constructed of a flexible disk covered by a thin layer of iron oxide that stores data in the form of magnetic dots. A plastic casing protects the disk: soft for the 51/4-inch disk, and hard for the 31/2-inch disk.  Magnetic storage medium, for all its advantages, only has a life expectancy of twenty years.   Data can be stored on electronic medium, such as memory chips.  Every modern personal computer utilizes electronic circuits to hold data and instructions.  These devices are categorized as RAM (random access memory) or ROM (read-only memory), and are compact, reliable, and efficient.  RAM is volatile, and is primarily used for the temporary storage of programs that are running.  ROM is non-volatile, and usually holds the basic instruction sets a computer needs to operate.  Electronic medium is susceptible to static electricity damage and has a limited life expectancy, but in the modern personal computer, electronic hardware usually becomes obsolete before it fails.  Optical storage medium, on the other hand, will last indefinitely.   Optical storage is an increasingly popular method of storing data.  Optical disk drives use lasers to read and write to their medium. When writing to an optical disk, a laser creates pits on its surface to represent data. Areas not burned into pits by the laser are called lands. The laser reads back the data on the optical disk by scanning for pits and lands. There are three primary optical disk mediums available for storage: CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory), WORM (write once read many), and rewritable optical disks. The CD-ROM is, by far, the most popular form of optical disk storage; however, CD-ROMs are read-only. At the factory, lasers are used to create a master CD-ROM, and a mold is made from the master and used to create copies. WORM drives are used almost exclusively for archival storage where it is important that the data cannot be changed or erased after it is written, for example, financial record storage.Rewritable optical disks are typically used for data backup and archiving massive amounts of data, such as image databases.   Although there are many manufacturers of the data storage devices used in the modern personal computer, each fits into one of four technological classes according to the material and methods it uses to record information.  Hardcopy medium existed before the invention of the computer, and magnetic medium is predominantly used today.  Electronic medium is used by every computer system, and is used to store instructions or temporarily hold data.  Finally, optical storage medium utilizes lasers to read and write information to a disk that lasts indefinitely.  Each type of medium is suitable for certain functions that computer users require. Although they use differing technologies, they all have equal importance in the modern personal computer system.

Computer Supplies at a Technology Store

Computer Supplies is a term which encompasses together all the input, output and peripheral devices of computer usage and functioning. Either it's a small company or a giant software firm, all require continuous supply of computer aids for proper working.

The minor stationary articles include wide range of styled papers like Multicolor carbon less paper, green bar paper, perforated paper, continuous feed computer paper, holder types such as insight adjustable copy-holder for a clear front view, micro saver projector locks, electronic cleaners, wipes, lens-cleaner, computer cases, kits, pc- lights (top mounted lights for ease in working)

I/O Devices: All such stuff includes is the keyboards, flash cards, high resolution video cards, various kinds of USB devices, memory extendable devices, storage mediums, data cables, bluetooth devices, microphones (back-wear, ear-loop or convertible microphones with noise-canceling feature), speakers etc.

Keyboards and keypads: The latest kind of keyboards comes with a sleek design and cordless operations.

Series of keyboards include ergonomic keyboards (special type of sensor keypads), cordless optical keyboards (which use Bluetooth technology), wireless desktop boards that ensure easy carriage.

Storage devices: Storage devices are used for bulk storage of music, data or the graphic files. The cards under this category are Compact Flash Cards, which provide the perfect storage solution for many devices from MP3 Players to Digital Cameras offering high storage space, high rate performance, and compatibility. Duo Card (4 GB memory stick, powerful adapter) is the ideal for storing and transferring video and still photos imported from compatible Handycam or Cyber-shot digital cameras.

These devices offer the highest performance rating (Speed Class 6 rated) in the whole software industry. Along with that the inbuilt SDHC card offers topclass video capture and playback characteristics with fast photo upload or download. Other recent storage devices are the smart pen drives which feature the micro vault virtual expander (for data compression), to store 3 times more data in a robust wire-frame model.

USB and networking cable travel packs: Go anywhere with this compact pouch of cables of all formats handy for you. The unique 7-in-1 Retractable Cable Travel Pack provides a great solution for on the move kind of professional. The set has adapters for connectivity to printer, scanner, modem or cell phone.

Mobile PC and Navigators: The extreme gadgets that are the mobile PCs hold everything inside whether you want to know weather conditions, route conditions (avoidable areas or roads), flight status or commodity prices and also your reservations or trip records all are captured in this mini computer which can come in your palm. Navigators (GPS Navigation) can be connected to PC port or laptops and you have the whole time guide for travel tracks or route planning.

Key Benefits of Mobile Computing Technology

Employing mobile computing technology for business operations can bring compelling benefits to any organization. Using the latest mobile computing technologies, organizations can provide secure and real-time information and applications to their field workers, making them more efficient. Mobile computing improves operational efficiency, speeds up business transactions and ultimately enables better customer service. Versatile benefits of mobile computing devices made them essential tools for business transactions in many industries.

Listed below are a few benefits of successfully utilized field mobility solutions.

Eliminates paperwork: Mobile computing devices effectively eliminate paperwork as they collect, store and transfer data electronically. Field mobility solutions like handheld PCs, barcode scanners, mobile printers, etc., eradicate the burden of writing invoices and delivery receipts manually.

These tools effectively increase a worker’s ability to collect, access, and evaluate critical business information quickly and accurately.

Productive output in less time: Mobile computing devices offer improved and faster access of information, both to and from the central fixed information systems. This helps employees get critical information in real-time from the company. This way, field executives and technicians can complete their jobs with increased individual productivity, enhancing the organization's overall productive output in less time.

Cost reduction: Increasing individual productivity can effectively reduce intermediate staff, thereby saving on labor costs. Further, the need for separate equipment for various functions like transfer, evaluation and retrieval of data can be eliminated using mobile computing devices. Reducing extra travel, rework and selling time, field mobility solutions enable significant gains in service profitability.

Better decision making: Real-time access to critical information for both workers and management helps the companies make better decisions in terms of customer service. In fields like inventory management, field mobility solutions help in balancing stock levels. Accurately tracking the stock helps company management make timely decisions in order to avoid both overstock and out-of-stock situations. The availability of current and accurate information across all levels of organization supports individual/group decision making and thus enhances effectiveness of the management.

Improved customer relations: Flexibility to access information using field mobility solutions helps employees to resolve customer queries, update customer information, check prices and stock availability, place an order online right from the customer's home or business, immediately calculate estimates, cut down on the time spent per customer, and more. This kind of approach makes the customer feel more satisfied and comfortable about the services and develops loyalty to the brand or company. Faster and convenient service is always a sure way to improve customer relations, as well as the customer base.

Greater accuracy: Field mobility solutions transfer data electronically, allowing the data transfer to be quick and accurate. Electronic transfer avoids transcription and interpretation errors that are common in the manual data entry process. Online data transfer involves automatic time and date recording and tracking works in progress, which assures transparency, accountability and traceability.
 
Increased ROI: The latest technologies used in field mobility solutions make low-cost mobile computing a practical reality. Businesses can expect a payback on investments within a very short span of time. Enhanced business process, increased productivity and reduced expenses using mobile computing devices offer substantial return on investments.

As communication plays a vital role in an organization’s success, every business should be sure to have effective and efficient tools like field mobility devices for information transfer. Field mobility solutions improve information quality, decrease transaction times, break down business barriers and give competitive advantage – all of which are required components of a successful business.