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PRESS
RELEASE: 02-04-04
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stacey Kumagai, Media
Relations
Phone: 818/506-8675; Email:
mediamonster@yahoo.com
Computer Evidence May
Play Starring Role In Jackson Case
February 4, 2004 - Los Angeles, CA –
Investigators may be looking for chat room conversations, email and
pictures from computers and a digital camera reportedly seized at
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. Mark McLaughlin, President of Los
Angeles based Computer Forensics International (CFI) says, “the tools
and techniques used by Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Computer Forensic
Examiners are the same ones we routinely use to analyze hard drives to
for attorneys and corporations”. McLaughlin reveals a sneak peek at how
investigators would analyze the evidence.
Computer forensic examiners first make exact
digital evidence copies of hard drives and camera disks using
sophisticated computer forensics software, such as EnCase. These copies
are then viewed just as you would normally look at them in Windows,
including a preview of each file’s contents. The program automatically
recovers deleted documents and pictures displaying them in an easy to
read and sort, column and row format. Each file’s date and timestamp is
displayed to assemble a timeline relating to when the file was created,
last saved or even viewed.
But the real power of an examination comes
from an ability to search through a mountain of data very quickly and
thoroughly. Investigators usually develop list of relevant “unique
keywords” for each case, that when run against the evidence, returns
“hits” or occurrences where the keyword was found. Each hit is viewed,
and if relevant, bookmarked and included in a report. Scripts can be
run to quickly recover all complete or partial email addresses, phone
numbers and even a history of visits to websites.
Mark McLaughlin has amassed nearly 25 years experience in
computer forensic analysis, corporate security investigations,
information systems management and law enforcement. He's a frequent
lecturer and California State Bar qualified instructor for attorneys on
computer forensics.
For interviews contact Stacey Kumagai at 818/506-8675 or
mediamonster@yahoo.com. More info go to: www.cf-intl.com.
