Scene of the Cybercrime: Computer Forensics Handbook

I'm currently in the middle of the book Scene Of The Cybercrime by Debra Littlejohn Shinder, but I decided to do a review right now. This is a really good book on a number of levels...Most books on computer and network security are written for the techie trying to secure their assets from outside attack. Obviously, there's a huge need for that information. But it seems that there is virtually nothing written from the law enforcement perspective on computer security. That's a major problem in two ways... For one, there are too few law enforcement personnel that understand exactly what cybercrime is and how it can be detected, fought, and prosecuted. That's probably the audience that would benefit most from this book. Second, most technical personnel don't know what to do in order to successfully build a case and prosecute an attacker once an intrusion has occurred. That's the other audience that will gain the most from reading Shinder's work.The book includes the following chapters: Facing the Cybercrime Problem Head On; Reviewing the History of Cybercrime; Understanding the People on the Scene; Understanding Computer Basics; Understanding Network Basics; Understanding Network Intrusions and Attacks; Understanding Cybercrime Prevention; Implementing System Security; Implementing Cybercrime Detection Techniques; Collecting and Preserving Digital Evidence; Building the Cybercrime CaseThe hardcore network security administrator will probably already know most of the information in the "Understanding..." chapters. But unless they are adept or experienced in forensic analysis, the last three chapters will be crucial information for them. Without the knowledge of how to preserve evidence, there's a good chance that you'll never have the satisfaction of seeing your attacker prosecuted. Higher level managers of a corporate security department will find all of this information useful, as they may not be as hands-on as the administrators and may not understand what threats and risks are present in today's environment.From the law enforcement perspective, it's all good. Fighting cybercrime is so different than regular law enforcement. This is the perfect volume to give the budding cybercop all the information they need to get up to speed with how crime is conducted electronically. I would recommend that this book be required reading for law enforcement and prosecution personnel. The book is well written with plenty of real-life examples of criminal activities and legal scenarios. It's one of the most engrossing technical reads I've had in awhile. A definite recommended read...

This book is an ideal introduction for non-computer professionals to the burgeoning world of cybercrime. Computers are being used in crimes of all types, from child pornography to stalking to financial fraud, and law enforcement officers and agencies often need assistance in understanding the technical aspects of such crimes. This book will also be invaluable for other law enforcement professionals, such as prosecutors, who must assist juries in learning enough of the "technical" aspects of a crime to render a just verdict.

I'm a former law enforcement officer who is just getting into computers and technology. I found this book to be a great resource. It explains a lot of concepts that police offiers hear a lot about, but don't really understand. It's written in language "regular people" can understand, not just nerds. I learned about things I didn't know existed, like the places on hard drives where data can be recovered even after it's formatted.The book is not a "how to" for any particular forensics software, but it's pretty obvious that wasn't the intent. The author provides information about what can be done and the products used to do it, and lots and lots of pointers to web sites and resources for finding specific information. I recommend it to police officers and to regular people like my wife who thought it was fascinating, especially the part about the people involved in cybercrime.

Just got done reading "Scene of the Cybercrime" and as a manager of a large computer and networking security unit, I have to say this is problably the best book I've ever read about computer law and forensics. One of the big problems I have with our team is that we have a number of technicians who want to know what button to push in their copy of Encase, but have no idea what they're doing and why. We work in a technical and legal environment, and its almost impossible to find good references that address both the forensic and the legal implications of our work. This book did a fantastic job covering the technical details of how computer security works, and then took things to a level I've not seen in any other book I've reviewed for our team: a first-hand real life perspective of how law enforcement and the legal system works and how that affects our effectiveness as keepers of computer and network security. Other books I've read just said "we did this and that and he did or didn't go to jail". That doesn't help us create a case! The information in this book also would have have been nice to have, given that we actually were held accountable for errors we never would have made had I read this book before making them. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could, just for the money is would have saved our company had this book been available a year ago.

As a former police officer, I can say without a doubt that Shinder's book is a terrific resource for both law enforcement officers and those who want to become more familiar with a growing criminal industry: cybercrime. I found the book easy to read, interesting and dead on in its accuracy. For those who want to take their expertise to the next level, this book is a must. For those who only want to famliarize themselves with the things cybercriminals know, this is a step ahead. Recommended without reservation.