NCJ Number
45026
Journal
Assets Protection Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1977) Pages: 5-7
Date Published
1977
Length
3 pages
Annotation
PART 3 OF A SERIES ON THE FORENSIC APPROACH TO COMPUTER CRIME INVESTIGATION COVERS THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MAGNETIC MEDIA AND THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIMES INVOLVING MAGNETIC MEDIA.
Abstract
MAGNETIC STORAGE MEDIA ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: MAGNETIC TAPE; CASSETTE TAPE; DISKETTES; AND MASS STORAGE DEVICES. MAGNETIC STORAGE MEDIA ARE USED BY LARGE-SCALE AND MINICOMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR SYSTEM INPUT, DATA STORAGE, PROGRAM STORAGE, AND SYSTEM OUTPUT. DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT CAN BE STORED ON A MAGNETIC TAPE AND THE RELATIVE EASE OF CONCEALMENT, THE TAPE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO COMPUTER CRIMINALS IN EXTORTION (HOLDING VALUABLE TAPES FOR RANSOM); THEFT (STEALING CUSTOMER OR MAILING LISTS AND SELLING THEM TO COMPETITORS); ESPIONAGE (INDUSTRIAL AND GOVERNMENTAL); AND SABOTAGE (ERASING TAPE LABELS AND DATA. VARIOUS CRIME LABORATORY TECHNIQUES MAY BE USED TO ANALYZE A MAGNETIC TAPE, CASSETTE, OR DISKETTE THAT HAS BEEN USED IN A CRIME. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE LABORATORY ANALYSIS ARE TO IDENTIFY THE PERSON OR PERSONS INVOLVED AND TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE MACHINES USED TO RECORD AND SUBSEQUENTLY READ THE DATA. METHODS OF EXAMINING TAPES FOR FINGERPRINTS, IMPRESSIONS, AND OTHER EVIDENCE ARE REVIEWED BRIEFLY. RESEARCH INTO METHODS OF TRACING A MAGNETIC MEDIUM BACK TO THE UNIT THAT RECORDED IT IS NOTED. CRIMES INVOLVING ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS (E.G., THEFT OF TIMESHARE SERVICES) ARE DISCUSSED BRIEFLY. BASIC FORENSIC INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE OF USE IN INVESTIGATING TELEPROCESSING CRIMES ARE NOTED. FOR PARTS 1 AND 2, SEE NCJ 41264 AND 44885.