The 2010 ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Digital forensics is playing a more prominent role in law enforcement, network security, and information assurance. The field of study encompasses not just digital evidence, but also the areas of cyber law, sociology, and security to name a few. Its increasing importance is reflected in its growing role within crime investigations, civil cases and homeland security.

An in-depth understanding of digital forensics is needed by college students who will be entering the various fields within technology, business, criminal justice, law, and homeland security. Currently, many professionals in those fields are still not well-prepared to understand the use and management of digital evidence – or the use of digital forensics in determining the causes of security breaches, or the avoidance of security breaches altogether.

Today, many professionals are working with others from different fields - lawyers are working with IT managers, law enforcement are working with forensics engineers. Well, at least they are trying. Unless properly prepared, many of these professionals will not be able to communicate and work effectively with each other. Those communications will continue in their frequency and importance. The demand for forensics and investigative work by knowledgeable professionals will continue to call upon our academic institutions to provide that education for the foreseeable future.

While some topics or courses will be needed in a variety of majors such as criminal justice and computer science, an enhanced level of study should be provided for those wishing to have a more solid foundation in digital forensics, security and law. By providing a conference addressing research and curriculum in the related disciplines of digital forensics, information assurance and law, we hope to provide an avenue which will provide for a more comprehensive and richer learning environment.