Book Review: Computer Forensics: Cybercriminals, Laws, and Evidence

• DOI: 10.1177/1057567713476708
• Published date: 01 March 2013
• Date: 01 March 2013
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

Book Reviews
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lively, and brings out very challenging and new results. I recommend this book to anyone who wants
to know something about tax evasion and the shadow economy.
Maras, M.-H.
Computer Forensics: Cybercriminals, Laws, and Evidence Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2012. 372 pp. : $56.00.
ISBN 978-1-44960-072-3
Reviewed by: Szde Yu, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA
DOI: 10.1177/1057567713476708
In her own words, Dr. Marie-Helen Maras wrote this book in an attempt to appeal to the individual
who does not have a comprehensive legal or technical background in computer forensics. Indeed,
most law enforcement officers and students who are considering a career in computer forensics
do not or have not had sufficient training in both computer science and criminal justice. Even those
criminologists who claimed specialty in cybercrime usually do not have enough technical knowl-
edge on the application of technology. On the other hand, those who possess computer skills often
are not familiar with the legal requirement and the sophistication of evidence integrity. A book that
can narrow the gap is much needed in the field of computer forensics.
In totally 13 chapters, the author thoroughly introduces the basics of computer forensics and the
cyber environment in which forensic works would be conducted. In Chapter 1, the definition and
typology of cybercrime are discussed. This is utmost important in that different types of cybercrime
may require different skill sets to extract digital evidence, and they also usually generate different
types of digital evidence, which entails different legal consideration in the presentation of evidence.
In the following chapter, the concept of electronic evidence is introduced and the procedure of com-
puter forensics is also described. Chapter 3 through Chapter 5 are dedicated to addressing the legal
aspects of computer forensics, such as the suspect’s constitutional rights and the legal grounds on
which searches and seizures can...