Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Murder and Money: The Story of Standards, Accreditation and Certification in Computer Forensics

Published

Author(s)

Susan M. Ballou

Abstract

In the Information Age, with computer technology and applications evolving at a dizzying pace, no field of forensic science is more exciting or challenging than digital evidence analysis. Traditionally, the criminal justice system has lagged behind the rest of society in keeping pace with technological advances. Computer forensics has an opportunity to break with that tradition by fully employing the technical and educational tools at its disposal and continually creating new tools that look to the needs of tomorrow. To meet those needs of tomorrow computer forensic activities must achieve judicial savvy through the application of standards, certification and accreditation in what is known as the quality triangle. This triangle provides the best means for establishing and maintaining our discipline's credibility in both judicial proceedings and the scientific community. But to continue moving forward, we must learn from our history. Evaluating historical facts allows the reader to determine the best pathway to attain the quality triangle and to meet individual as well as agency goals.
Citation
Murder and Money: The Story of Standards, Accreditation and Certification in Computer Forensics

Keywords

ABC, Accreditation, ASCLD/LAB, ASTM, certification, computer forensics, forensic science, standards

Citation

Ballou, S. (2007), Murder and Money: The Story of Standards, Accreditation and Certification in Computer Forensics, Murder and Money: The Story of Standards, Accreditation and Certification in Computer Forensics (Accessed December 12, 2024)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact reflib@nist.gov.

Created November 30, 2007, Updated June 24, 2021