Chapter 1. Real-World Incidents

Truth is stranger than fiction. Since publishing the first edition of this book, we’ve been involved in a number of very different incidents. From illicit office romances to equipment theft, from misappropriation of intellectual property to prosecution for email spam, the diversity is amazing. The one thing these incidents have had in common is the involvement of computers. In some way, shape, or form, the evidence found on computers was material to each case.

Computers and networks are involved in virtually all activities today. We use them to communicate, to create intellectual property, to shop, to perform business transactions, to plan trips, and much more. Networks afford users the opportunity to continuously use computers—through cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless connectivity, and the ubiquitous Internet. Any computer can be used for many purposes—just because a computer is located in the workplace does not mean that the computer is used only for work. The pervasive nature of computers and networks means that they are increasingly connected to incidents and crimes.