The last ten years have seen a tidal wave of technological advance, which in turn has had an unprecedented affect on our daily lives. Personal computers are commonplace. We have access to an almost unlimited supply of information, just as we are able to supply information for others to view. Mobile phones make communication with the rest of the world easier than ever.

Sadly – because of its inevitability – a new form of exploitation has come with this hi-tech surge. Modern technology has changed the way society and people function on an every day basis, and that includes the criminal fraternity.

The use of a computer to assist in committing an offence does not change the essence of criminal activity. Causing damage to or via a computer (such as hacking or deliberately spreading a virus), storing illegal information (such as child pornography), sending threatening or malicious messages, theft of data or components, infringing copyrights (piracy)… All of these are simply other forms of crime.

Because of the nature of these machines and devices, however, computers and related data storage media can be used to provide valuable evidence. The Data Recovery Unit is able to analyze and extract critical evidence, whether it has been hidden, forgotten about or ‘destroyed’.

Using various techniques we can, for example, restore deleted or password-protected files, and can frequently recreate an event or chain of events. Even with just a few bits of data, we are able to create a whole picture.

In the information age, very little remains a secret. Criminals know this to use it to their advantage. We, on the other hand, also know it and use it against the criminals.