Computer Forensics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Computer Forensics - Research Paper Example The intention of this study is computer forensics as a way of searching and analyzing data stored in computers and other electronic media. Computer forensics aims at forensically examining digital data in order to present facts and opinions concerning the information gained. It is a relatively young forensic science when compared to the other forensics. The process has been highly misunderstood both in meaning and application. Computer forensics is commonly used to refer to the analysis and reporting of the information collected from the forensic analysis of digital-related media. It is a procedure which has been used for as long as computers have been in use. In recent years, cases of computer crimes have been on the rise. This has necessitated the adoption of computer forensics as a way of trying to nab criminals over the internet. The spread of computer related crimes has risen as the use of computers increases. In the modern world, almost all people use a computer to perform a du ty within the course of the day. People have fallen victims to computer crimes as computers are considered to be safe. Installation of security software in computers has not been able to prevent some of the crimes occurring in the cyberspace nowadays. However, this alone cannot be enough to protect data from access by unauthorized persons. There are numerous cyberspace crimes commonly occurring in modern times. The range of these crimes keeps increasing as technological advancements continue to set in. Online frauds Online frauds have become a common form of computer crimes. There have been a rising number of stock scams instigated by criminal traders over the internet. The effects of these frauds have been adverse on the business world. People have been tricked by conmen online posing to be selling items. Once payment has been done, the delivery of goods bought fails to occur. In the stock market scams, the prices of stocks have been affected by frauds carried out online. These fra uds can happen to any company, and there is a need for companies to ensure they protect themselves from possible fraudsters. Hacking This can be termed as the process of illegally accessing protected information in a computer system. It has become a common problem in the computer security framework (Thomas, 2002). Though efforts continue to be made to curb the problem, new technologies keep on being created by the hackers. The problem of hacking has been extensively linked to numerous security system failures. Hacking into national security systems has been identified as a commonly employed tactic by terrorists. When an individual hacks into a company server, he can be able to alter the information contained in the server. Virus These can be defined as programs created to maliciously