Archives

Computer forensics is a hands-on discipline. Introductory skills, however, can be taught using simple exercises that require neither expensive laboratory facilities nor even face-to-face courses. This paper describes a simple floppy disk analysis project that allows an instructor to address issues ranging from the computer forensics process and basics of file systems to long file names, file signatures, and hashing. Projects are essential to teaching this discipline as they support active learning, constructivism, and active learning. These hands-on projects also offer an opportunity for courses to be taught online and for students to build their own toolkits using open source or commercial software.