I wanted to take a look at a computer-based topic not normally in my programming domain and chose Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard: Using Digital Forensics and Investigative Techniques to Identify Cybercrime Suspects by Brett Shavers (O’Reilly Media).

As a former police officer, I found some of the discussions around generic evidence preservation to be slightly difficult to stay engaged with.  However, as a whole, Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard did not disappoint my desire to see what digital forensics was all about.  After reading this book, the reader should have a solid foundation to start delving into both the investigative and technical areas of a digital forensic investigator.

Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard takes the reader though a step-by-step process to ensure that digital investigations and interviews are carried out in a manner that will preserve the integrity of both your evidence and your suspects involvement.  Shavers reminds us throughout the book that it is not just about finding critical evidence on the digital device – but also ensuring that you can place the suspect “behind the keyboard” while those actions were occurring   With excellent references back to sources to keep you on track, Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard keeps the reader in line with well-established investigative procedures.  In addition, the Shavers also covers how to appropriately present your evidence to different types of audiences – something that is more challenging than most assume.

I highly recommend this book to a person just getting into digital forensics or that is looking for taking their technical knowledge to the next level.  While not a highly technical book, it is a great introduction into the digital forensics field.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book as part of the O’Reilly Blogger Program