Forensic computing and CSI
I was watching CSI:NY last night (I was babysitting and apparently television cannot continue its existence without showing CSI).
There was some evidence on somebody’s computer they wanted, so let’s go through their process of getting the evidence off of their computer and into their laps in a safe and reliable way:
- Switch the computer on (it booted very quickly, or perhaps the monitor was just turned off)
- A password prompt appears (the dialogue box looked a little like it was using Qt)
- Connect a USB device
We’re in
- Go and find the document that was previously mentioned and read it
- The end
I think the proper procedure is something like take the computer to the lab, open it carefully (checking for tripwires), take the hard disk and image it, and use an image of the image for hacking. I’ve read up on it, because I’m interested in Bradford University’s Forensic Computing MSc.
I’ve heard people say they don’t like TV programme X due to ridiculous things that they know are wrong, especially crime dramas. I don’t really understand this way of thinking, because I see stupid things done with computers all the time in TV and movies and I sometimes laugh (the mention of a mainframe
in Underworld: Evolution) or just groan silently (oh, they can zoom in that far and see this person’s reflection … again
), but I won’t cite it as a reason not to watch the show. Of course I notice many silly things related to other subjects, but mostly computer science.
I’ve met two people who dislike Bones because of its fictional osteological practices. Pfft; it’s just a bit of sci-fi. I liked Bones so much I bought the first book in the series Bones was based upon (Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs) even though I’ve never been particularly interested in crime books (although The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was rather enjoyable). I haven’t started it yet because I’m reading Chocolat right now (I’m nearly half-way through, it’s becoming very exciting).
Other exciting things: today I finally defeated Evrae (FFX) on my fourth and final attempt, then was forced to play through perhaps half an hour or more of fighting minor baddies and watching FMVs before I got to a bleeding save point. I started out by self-destructing Kamahri (he’ll just be lying there dead, or somebody will be able to replace him, right?
. Wrong.) and so I fought with only two characters for the rest of the battle.
Waaaah. I have to start doing things at some point in the near future or I’ll have no house, no job, and no (more) education.
Speaking of education, Bradford College appears to be cutting most of its classes that don’t directly relate to getting employment (and charging extra for the ones it doesn’t). I was very shocked that their letter actually expresses displeasure at this fact, usually people seem to get decisions handed down to them and then have to pretend to think it’s the best course of action. I’m happy that modern foreign languages are still valued
(they used shock quotes in the letter too) but fewer choice of courses is always bad news.
Ah, enough of my rambling unstructured autobiographical writing, I must do something … something useful, or at the very least entertaining.