Computer Forensics on a popular TV show

I was once called to a scene where a woman wanted us to find her long-lost boyfriend by analyzing a spot of blood on the side of her house. She was hoping we could sequence his DNA and use our database to find exactly where he was.

She was a little disappointed when we informed her that it was mud, not blood.

Crime shows are terrible things.

"But Jack Bauer did it on 24" ….actually said by client to one of the investigators I work with.

Its always a double edged sword with me. I get excited to see DF/IR, infosec, hacking, etc. presented in entertainment to a broader audience but it is often presented in a manner that has me yelling at the screen.

However there are those movies while not attempting to represent a concept can be a good tool. Example Fletch - great social engineer examples.

I saw that. What a nice small device they had to plug the "DRAM" chip into.

On that note I discussed the method (from the study not the tv show) with someone that is involved with radios/electronics. He suggested to put a piece of paper over the chip before spraying it.

Regards,

Chris

Armresl,

Funny you brought this subject up. These crime shows have focused on all sorts of evidence; finger prints, dna, hair fibers, dental records, foot/tire impressions and cell phone tracking. With the interest in the Casey Anthony trial and the reference to chloroform searches via Google I would expect someone out there will start showing more "computer forensics" scenarios to try and feed the publics interest.

They did some solid research. If you listen to Michaela's explanation it's on point, but it's odd that Matt didn't get a better tech guy to show actually performing the duty.

I've been through several TSCM courses and all of the things he has done to PBX's, demarc points, shooting TDR's, and other things are accurate as well.

The show is known for it's actual accuracy in a lot of the things Michael does.

One thing I was thinking of is you always hear that the NSA, CIA, insert other agency here is several years ahead of the private sector, so could there be something out there which captures things as fast as that happened.

3 minutes if I remember correctly is what she had to work with

Just for fun, someone who has a useless laptop sitting around, time yourself from the point of a door closing, then you popping the keyboard out (that is sometimes the toughest part) and spraying the RAM.

Lastly, what about being grounded, surely a static charge would be awful, and she had staticy clothes on.

That's all.

"You work on dead bodies?"…"No Computers"…."Dead Computers!"

End of conversation

Want realism in TV representations of computer forensics ?

THIS.

http//youtu.be/hkDD03yeLnU

Want realism in TV representations of computer forensics ?

THIS.

http//youtu.be/hkDD03yeLnU

Agree with that Hugh, utter garbage, who would use VB for anything other than wriiting a lottery predictor or a db to record your DVD collection…

Anyway all real forensic software authors use Borland C++ and wander around muttering "bloody Borland".

Want realism in TV representations of computer forensics ?

THIS.

http//youtu.be/hkDD03yeLnU

Agree with that Hugh, utter garbage, who would use VB for anything other than wriiting a lottery predictor or a db to record your DVD collection…

Anyway all real forensic software authors use Borland C++ and wander around muttering "bloody Borland".

without any shoes on.

(just had to google to see if Borland was still going, it is !, sort of)