Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

Silang Campus
Biga I, Silang, Cavite
🕾 046 513-5706 🕾 046 513-3965
✉ [email protected]

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

DCIT 65 Social and Professional Issues

Module No.2 Ethics for IT Workers and IT Users

Activity No. 4 – Case Study

Instruction: Read the case study and answer the three (3) guided questions.

On September 8, 2009, 25-year-old airport limousine driver and former coffee

cart vendor Najibullah Zazi rented a car and drove from Denver to New York
City. His car was laden with explosives and bomb-building materials.
According to the Department of Justice, Zazi’s target was the New York City
subway system. It is believed Zazi was planning to work with other operatives
over the weekend and detonate the bomb the following week.

However, after learning he was under investigation, Zazi dumped the evidence
and fled back to Denver. On September 19, the FBI arrested him on charges of
willfully making false statements to the FBI. Computer forensics investigators
with the FBI found bomb-making instructions and Internet searches for
hydrochloric acid on Zazi’s laptop computer. Investigators also processed video
surveillance of Zazi buying large quantities of bomb-making materials at a
beauty supply store.

Zazi had also emailed himself detailed notes on constructing explosives during
an Al Qaeda training session on constructing explosives that he had attended
in Afghanistan in 2008. In February 2010, Zazi pled guilty to conspiracy to use
weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States,
conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and providing material
support to Al Qaeda.
In November 2007, a 900-foot-long container ship traveling through dense fog
struck the Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay. Approximately 58,000 gallons of
fuel oil seeped through the 100-foot gash in the hull into the water. Over 2,500
birds died during the spill, and wildlife experts estimated that a total of 20,000
perished as a result of the long-term chemical effects of oil exposure.
Prosecutors alleged that the captain had failed to use radar and positional fixes
or other official navigation aids.

However, the crime extended beyond the captain’s negligence. Computer

forensics investigators found that computer navigational charts had been
doctored after the crash, and falsified records, such as passage planning
checklists, had been created on ship computers after the crash. The captain
was eventually sentenced to 10 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to
violating the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In 2009, the
ship’s management company, Fleet Management Company Ltd., agreed to pay
$10 million in compensation for violating the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

These two high-profile cases illustrate the central role computer forensics
investigators are playing in criminal investigations today. These investigators
are at work in both criminal and civil cases exploring everything from murder,
kidnapping, and robbery to money laundering and fraud to public corruption,
intellectual property theft, and destruction of property by disgruntled
employees. Even parties to divorce cases are now making use of computer
forensics experts to uncover evidence of infidelity or locate joint funds that
have been hidden by one of the spouses.

Yet perhaps the greatest promise of this fast-developing field of investigation is

its potential for preventing crime. On November 18, 2010, police arrested a
Florida college student, Daniel Alexander Shana, who had posted on Facebook
his plans for carrying out a Columbine High School–type massacre to target
people who he felt had bullied him.

He boasted that he had purchased a semiautomatic pistol and had registered

for a firearms license. Students viewing his Facebook posts reported them to
authorities. Computer forensics investigators found that he had viewed videos
on Columbine and looked into how to purchase weapons and carry out
murder. As the role of computer forensics has expanded in criminal and civil
investigations, the number of jobs available in the fields has grown. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in the field of private
detectives and investigators in general will grow by 22 percent between 2008
and 2018. To meet this demand, a number of universities have begun offering
undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer forensics. Computer
forensics investigators not only analyze, recover, and present data for use as
evidence, but also recover emails, passwords, and encrypted or erased data.
They must detect intrusions and probe them. Hence, computer forensics
investigators require specialized hardware and software, and they must master
specific methods and techniques.

That said, the Bureau of Labor Statistics advises that a degree in computer
science or accounting is more helpful than a degree in criminal justice. Most
computer forensics professionals, enter the field by getting a job with a law
enforcement agency and receiving training while on the job. In addition,
universities also offer certificates in computer forensics for those already
working in the field, and professional organizations host seminars where people
interested in the field can gain expertise.

Professionals already working in the field can complete a certificate through an

online program. Once computer forensics professionals gain sufficient on-the-
job experience, they frequently branch out into the private sector. Licensing
requirements vary from state to state, and certification requirements vary from
one professional organization to another. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that the median salary for private detectives and investigators in 2010
was $42,870. Although the bureau did not track salary information specifically
for a computer forensics investigator, professionals in specialized fields are
often able to demand higher compensation.

Most important, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job competition in
this area is keen. With high-profile cases such as the New York subway bomber
and television shows romanticizing the role of computer forensics investigators,
it’s no wonder people are flocking to the field. Yet even if computer forensics
isn’t as powerful or glamorous as it appears on TV, the field is becoming more
critical to criminal investigation, and increasing expertise will be required as
cybercriminals develop more sophisticated means of attack.

Discussion Questions

1. What role did computer forensics play in the high-profile cases of the New
York subway bomber and the San Francisco Bay oil spill?
 The computer forensics investigators are the ones who investigate well in
these cases, through their expertise they were able to solve and know the truth
behind what the people knows. In the New York subway bomber, they were
able to access the bomber’s browsing history, emails, and they were able to
know his background information. In the San Francisco Bay oil spill, the
computer forensics shows and prove that the charts and records were doctored
and falsified.

2. Why might computer forensics be more effective at preventing crimes than

other forms of criminal investigation?

Because computer forensics is working both criminal and civil cases and
they can explore some cases like kidnapping and robbery and some cases.
Maybe there are some criminal investigation teams do not have people with the
knowledge in computer forensics, so some of them hire some analyst to help
them solve cases regarding these cases. Nowadays, the form of crimes is
developing drastically in this modern day, there are some criminals that have
expertise in computer software. For me, computer forensics is much efficient
and effective in this such advanced form of computer related crimes, the
traditional way of criminal investigation will slow down the flow of investigation
compared to the use of computer forensics.

3. In addition to computer-related training, what other education and

background would be ideal for someone who wants to make a career in
computer forensics?

One must have background with these skills, like Log Analysis, which is
an art and science seeking to make sense of computer-generated records,
Endpoint Data Collection, wherein you need to understand endpoints and
collect evidence from them, since a major chunk of the trail can be discovered
there, Understanding and Discovery in the Cloud, wherein you need to
understand the cloud environment and components involved in the evidence
collection is imperative today, Dark Web Monitoring, you should be able to
scan the web traces of your data, such as underground sites that are hidden
from search engines. These are some examples of skills needed in order to
make through the career in computer forensics and many more.
 Essay/ Case Study Rubrics

Your essay will be graded based on this rubric. Consequently, use this rubric as a guide when
writing your essay and check it again before you submit your essay.

Item to be 4 3 2 1
Evaluated
Focus and There is one There is one There is one The topic and
Details clear, well clear, well topic. Main ideas main ideas are
focused topic. focused topic. are somewhat not clear.
Main ideas are Main ideas are clear.
clear and are clear but are not
well supported well supported
by detailed and by detailed
accurate information.
information

Organization The introduction The introduction The introduction There is no clear

is inviting, states states the main states the main introduction,
the main topic, topic and topic. A structure, or
and provides an provides an conclusion is conclusion
overview of the overview of the included.
paper. paper. A
Information is conclusion is
relevant and included.
presented in a
logical order.
The conclusion
is strong.

Voice The author’s The author’s The author’s The author’s

purpose of purpose of purpose of purpose of
writing is very writing is writing is writing is
clear, and there somewhat clear, somewhat clear, unclear.
is strong and there is and there is
evidence of some evidence evidence of
attention to of attention to attention to
audience. The audience. The audience. The
author’s author’s author’s
extensive knowledge knowledge
knowledge and/or and/or
and/or experience with experience with
experience with the topic is/are the topic is/are
the topic is/are evident. limited.
evident.

Word of Choice The author uses The author uses The author uses The writer uses
vivid words and vivid words and words that a limited
phrases. The phrases. The communicate vocabulary.
choice and choice and clearly, but the Jargon or clichés
placement of placement of writing lacks may be present
words seems words is variety and detract from
 accurate, inaccurate at the meaning.
natural, and not times and/or
forced. seems overdone

Sentence All sentences Most sentences Most sentences Sentences

Structure are well are well are well sound awkward,
constructed and constructed and constructed and are distractingly
have varied have varied have varied repetitive, or are
structure and structure and structure and difficult to
length. The length. The length. The understand. The
author makes author makes a author makes a author makes
no errors in few errors in few errors in numerous errors
grammar, grammar, grammar, in grammar,
mechanics, mechanics, mechanics, mechanics,
and/or spelling. and/or spelling, and/or spelling, and/or spelling
but they do not but they do not that interfere
interfere with interfere with with
understanding. understanding. understanding.