Undergraduate research in computer forensics
Mary Devito, Christine Hofmeister, Michael Jochen, N. Paul Schembari · 2011
We describe a research program in cybercrime and computer forensics which relies heavily on research by undergraduates. The goals of this program are to complete projects as defined by clients, but also to allow students to experience the frustrations and enjoyment of solving real-world problems. Furthermore, this experiential approach builds a rich educational environment for students where they must "work for a boss" (faculty member) and with "coworkers" (other students) in a group effort. Overall, students have found the experiences to be beneficial, and we typically have more applicants for the positions than are possible to fill. We describe three of the actual projects used and illustrate our lessons learned.