[Class Schedule] [Available Projects]

Instructor: Angelos Stavrou
Lecture: Wednesday 7:20pm - 10:00pm
Room: Nguyen Engineering Building 5358 [Campus Map]
Office Hours: Wednesday 4:30pm - 6:30pm and by appointment
Office: Research I, Rm 437
Email: astavrou()gmu.edu

Course Description:

This class will be focused on current research and challenges in Digital Forensics including:

• Principles, Techniques, Tools used in Digital Forensics
• Computer and Network Forensic Analysis
• Forensics for Mobile Devices
  

This course offers an in depth introduction to the principles, techniques, tools and current practices used in digital forensics including latest research advances. By the end of the course, students will gain experience in:

• Principles and Techniques for Digital Forensics
• Understand the established procedures in Digital Evidence Identification, Extraction, Preservation, Correlation, Analysis and Presentation
• Apply Existing Tools to conduct Forensics Duplication and analysis
• Understand the specific technical challenges in conducting Digital Forensics
• Countermeasures and Caveats of Digital forensics
• Common Legal and Ethical issues in Digital Forensics

Prerequisites:

CS 571 (Operating Systems), CS 555 (Computer Networks), and ISA 562 (Information Security Theory & Practice); or permission of instructor. The coursework will include substantial programming projects; in order to be able to complete the projects, the students must be comfortable with Java or another programming language.

Bibliography:

Required: [TextBook available online for GMU students]
File System Forensic Analysis by Brian Carrier.
Addison-Wesley Professional, (March 27, 2005) ISBN-13: 9780321268174
[Online for GMU] [Pearson] [Amazon]

On this web page you will also find assigned reading from on-line articles, law opinions, and research publications. I will also have supplementary materials on reserve or handed out during class. Although we will not read the entire Carrier book, and we will use it for only a portion of the class, it cannot be replaced with other materials.

Recommended: [TextBook available online for GMU students]
System Forensics, Investigation, and Response, John R. Vacca; K. Rudolph.
Jones & Bartlett Learning, (September 24, 2010) ISBN-13: 9780763791346
[Online for GMU] [Jones & Bartlett Learning] [Amazon]

• Class Projects: 80%
• Class Presentations: 15%
• Class Participation: 5%
• No Midterm or Final

The students must achieve a total score of at least 90 (out of 100) to be considered for an A. This class is an advanced graduate-level class and is geared towards understanding the fundamental concepts behind Digital Forensics. The students will be expected to participate in large projects under the guidance of the instructor.

Computer Accounts:

All students should have accounts on the central Mason Unix system mason.gmu.edu (also known as osf1.gmu.edu)
and on IT&E Unix cluster zeus.ite.gmu.edu (Instructions and related links are here). Please read the FAQ if you have any questions. Students can work in IT&E computer labs for programming projects during the specified hours.

Please read the University's Academic Honesty Page and GMU Honor Code.

Disability Statement
If you have a documented learning disability or other condition that may affect academic performance you should:
1) Make sure this documentation is on file with the Office of Disability Services.
All academic accommodations must be arranged through the ODS. http://ods.gmu.edu
2) Talk with me to discuss your accommodation needs.

Other Usefull Resources
Writing Center: A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-1200; http://writingcenter.gmu.edu
University Libraries: “Ask a Librarian” http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html
Counseling and Phychological Services (CAPS): (703) 993-2380; http://caps.gmu.edu
University Policies: The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource
for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs.

Class Schedule