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Syllabus - CSCI 434 - Digital Forensics

Basic Information

Instructor Information

Dr. Mike Murphy

Please see the About Me page for contact information, and check my Schedule for office hours information.

Catalog Description

Study of techniques, tools, and processes used to discover digital evidence. Topics include collection, preservation, presentation, and preparation of computer based evidence for the purposes of criminal law enforcement or civil litigation.

Course Objectives and Tentative List of Major Topics

  1. Discuss the effects of using a computer system, including trace evidence left behind as a side-effect of normal day-to-day activities.
  2. Explain the fundamentals of forensic analysis.
  3. Introduce legal aspects of forensic investigations, including statutory and case law related to digital crimes.
  4. Describe system security, including file encryption.
  5. Introduce software tools for conducting forensic investigations.

Course Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Explain legal and ethical issues related to the practice of digital forensics.
  2. Describe sources and types of digital forensic evidence.
  3. Apply the rules for appropriate handling and custody of evidence in an investigative scenario.
  4. Discover digital evidence using open-source tools.

ABET Assessment

This course measures the following Performance Indicators:

Texts and Materials

Grade Categories

Grades will be broken into different categories and weighted as follows:

CategoryWeight
Assignments40%
Learning Quizzes30%
Assessment Quizzes30%

Additional Policies and Information

The following policies and documents are incorporated into this syllabus by reference:

Disclaimer

Portions of this course may deal with issues related to cost analysis, laws, and ethics. The instructor of this course is not a lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor, and no portion of this class constitutes legal or financial advice. This syllabus and schedule are tentative and subject to change with notice to the student during the semester. If a portion of this syllabus is found to be non-compliant with University policies or applicable laws, the remainder of this syllabus will remain effective.