Hollywood Effect on Digital Forensics

 "There is a knock on the door - no answer.  The FBI team crashes through the door and find the apartment empty.  A computer is switched on in the corner of the room.  An FBI agent goes across, types at the keyboard and in seconds is into the computer system.  In no time an email is recovered revealing the location of a nuclear weapon about to explode destroying Washington.  There is enough time … just … to stop the weapon and capture the terrorists.  A typical scene from a Hollywood movie - but, in reality, the evidence from the email will be thrown out of court due to lack of procedure."

 Do you want to learn how computer forensics is really done? 

Geraint Williams, Information Risk Consultant and Trainer for IT Governance Ltd and an Honorary Visiting Fellow at the University of Bedfordshire, will be speaking at Bedford College on the evening of Thursday 28 June.  This is part of the continuing programme of free evening lectures organised by the Computing Department at Bedford College in partnership with the local Bedford branch of the British Computer Society (BCS).

The success of forensics-based dramas like CSI, Numb3rs, and NCIS has ensured there is no shortage of applicants to study forensics.  Hollywood and its public are enamoured by the apparently supernatural potency of the discipline.  The "CSI effect" has given the public and particularly some members of juries inflated expectations of computer forensic analysis.  This talk looks at Hollywood and the TV interpretation of digital forensics and gives an insight into how it is really done.

Geraint will be speaking at Bedford College Studio Theatre on Thursday 28 June between 6.30 and 8.00pm, and this again promises to be an incredibly informative and enjoyable evening.

To ensure that you don't miss out you should register online at:

http://www.bedfordtrainingservices.co.uk/forensics

Everyone is welcome so mention this to all your colleagues, family and friends. 

Please register now to avoid disappointment, and we look forward to seeing you on 28 June

Ali gets a mention

In a recent posting about computer forensics the paper presented by Dr Ali Al-Sherbaz was discussed. A recent blog reviewing the workshop provides an interesting overview of the workshop and discuss some of the presentation including Ali's.

"One of the last presentations of the day was by Ali Al-Sherbaz from Northampton University.    Ali directed us to an interesting web page which is entitled, The Evolution of Privacy on Facebook which has a really nice graphic.  (Digital privacy is one of those issues that is addressed on an Open University module called TU100, My Digital Life). Ali also introduced us to a pedagogic tool called Dale's cone of experience." Christopher Douce

The blog also provides an informative summary and reflections on the links between this workshop and others by the Higher Education Academy.

The posting can be found by clicking on this link.

Embedding Computer Forensics within an Undergraduate Programme

An paper on teaching computer forensics was recent published at 7th Annual Teaching Computer Forensics Workshop University of Sunderland on the 10^th Nov 2011.


An Embedded Pedagogic Model for Computer Forensics within an
Undergraduate Programme
Authors: Ali Al-Sherbaz , Amir Minai, James Xue, Rashmi Dravid , The University of Northampton


Abstract
The discipline of computer forensics which has a strong mutli-disciplinary background derives from the computing subjects in networking, programming, security and mathematics. Increasing awareness of cybersecurity and emphasising the need for a common vision among students addresses the challenges. The proposed pedagogic model is to embed the computer forensics materials within the undergraduate modules to extend students’ knowledge and skills in a practical context. However, it is also recognised that the depth of knowledge required learning such topics as cyber security should be offered from the underlying principles to their abstraction.


Cyber crimes are on the rise however, Cyber security professionals are in a depressingly low numbers. The lack of focus on this area has certainly resulted in a limited number of experts. Today, there is a demanding need to create new cyber security jobs, which should hopefully bring leverage to the uncontrollable rise of cyber crimes. It is, therefore, necessary to develop the analytical skills which create challenges in building a constructive approach to learning. Also, reflecting the technological fluctuations, it is seen as essential for students to be continuously updated.


The proposed model focuses on the delivery and assessment of certain computing modules, with an evaluation of its efficiency on the use of time and effort in order to satisfy the minimum requirements of the curriculum. The study has also discovered that some of the modules already cover part of computer forensics implicitly. Therefore, highlighting these topics to the students and making them more visible as computer forensics is one of the main objectives. Another objective is to enhance the existing computing modules by dedicating certain amount of lecture time on computer forensic related concepts. The model can then be adopted by Universities when considering developing new modules.


Over  the  last  few  years  there  have  been  large  increases  in  cyber-crimes  which  have  threatened individuals and organisations. To reduce the threat it is imperative that the computing courses within universities increase the level of student awareness by providing them with professional education in computer forensics and cyber-security without the need to create a separate specialised pathway.

For more information contact: Dr Ali Al-Sherbaz (ali.al-sherbaz@northampton.ac.uk)

Computing Courses

BSc and HND Computing Provision (click on the links below for more details of the courses)

• BEng/MEng Computing (Computer Networks Engineering)
• BEng/MEng Computing (Computer Systems Engineering) 

• BSc (Hons) Computing (also available part-time)
• BSc (Hons) Computing (Graphics and Visualisation)
• BSc (Hons) Computing (Internet Technology and Security)
• BSc (Hons) Computing (Mobile Computing)
• BSc (Hons) Computing (Software Engineering)
• BSc (Hons) Computing - One Year Top-Up 
• BSc  Computer Games Development
• HND Computing (Compute​r Net​works Engineering)
• HND Computing (Computer Systems Engineering)
• HND Computing (Graphics and Visualisation)
• HND Computing (Internet Tech​nolog​y and Security)
• HND Computing (Mobile Computing)
• HND Computing (Software Engine​ering) 
• HND Com​puting

The University of Northampton's, Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies offers five courses within the MSc Computing postgraduate provision (shown below) all available either part-time or full-time. 

• MSc Computing
• MSc Computing (Internet Technology and Security)
• MSc Computing (Computer Networks Engineering)
• MSc Computing (Software Engineering)
• MSc Computing (Immersive Technologies)

The contents are the opinion of the author(s) and not necessarily the view of the University of Northampton.