University of Otago Hands-on Science forensics project team
member Kelly Flett (16), of Waitara, front centre, uses a
screen-monitored microscope. From left are Shaun Chalmers
(16), of Invercargill, Nicholas O'Connell (17), of Gore,
Theresa Ale (16), of Manurewa, Auckland, Tiffany Lo (17),
of Wellington, Jono Kapene (16), of Havelock North, with a
recently-recovered panda, called Ruffles and project leader
Chris Edwards. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Six budding science detectives have been getting their
first taste of computer-related crime-fighting techniques at
the University of Otago's Hands-on Science camp this week.
More than 230 senior secondary school pupils from throughout
the country are attending the latest week-long annual camp,
which aims to encourage the youngsters to opt for careers in
science.
Teaching Fellow Chris Edwards, who leads an information
science department project on computer-related forensics,
noted that these days many people were using various forms of
computers and computerised communication devices.
This meant such use often contributed to the "chain of
evidence" in criminal cases, even if the specific crime under
investigation did not itself directly involve computers, Mr
Edwards said.
Six of the pupils have this week taken up a computer
forensics challenge involving one "stolen" toy panda, called
Ruffles.
The pupils were invited to sift through data on a hard disk
drive, as well as a USB flash drive - the latter a portable
data storage unit - and a cellphone memory card, as well as
analysing email clues in order to track down the elusive
Ruffles.
They solved the "crime", which turned out to be an inside
job, and duly recovered the missing panda.
One of the participants, Shaun Chalmers, of Invercargill,
said he had been struck by the fact that material which
people thought they had safely deleted from computer systems
was often "still there" and could be recovered.
It was also "kind of scary" that offenders could exploit
computer security weaknesses to obtain private information,
he said.
Kelly Flett, of Waitara, northeast of New Plymouth, said the
science camp had "definitely interested" her in considering a
science career.
- john.gibb@odt.co.nz
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