As always the last days of the year are very good to finish deadlines, and finish casework and preparing courses for next year. The ideal situation to finish all work since there are no meetings and it is more quiet at the laboratory since many people have vacation.
From January 1st we have a new law on Forensic evidence active in the Netherlands, with an official register of experts at http://www.nrgd.nl . So it is interesting how this will work, since there are no experts in this register yet. However it is expected to be a good approach for the quality of forensic expertise in the Netherlands.
Currently we send out a proficiency test for camera identification and also organized the CAMCOM competition, where more people are interested to participate. It is interesting what will happen here.
Also I am working on a workshop on forensic multimedia analysis for the AAFS and looking on how to improve the training we give on digital evidence in general, with more interactive learning.
The good thing is now that I do not have any backlog in casework anymore, since we have better caseload management procedures in place, and this approach seems to work. So for the first time since 1991 I see an approach that works in practice, which also makes visible what are capacity is for casework, and also takes into account the more complicated cases.
Finally also my health improved, since I had issues with some of the medicines for asthma, that worked on coronary spasms with the betamimetics and also with ipratropiumbromide inhalers (which is a complication that is not very common). After good interaction between the cardiologist and the lung doctor, finally since this month I have a treatment that appears to work without all the complications I had before. So it appears after all a good start for 2010.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Visit Tokyo
At evening also went to Electric City Akihabara. In 1996 I have worked for 3 months in Tokyo, so I know this place well. The prices are the same as in the Netherlands, and even diner and hotel seems to be cheaper then in the Netherlands. I had a 11 hours direct flight with KLM, and after that I just did a short visit there. Public transportation in Tokyo is very clear and all signs are in English as well as there chipcard system which works very well.
December 2009
In November I had a busy month, so not much time to update the ongoing work. Busy with casework as organizing a conference for digital evidence in the Netherlands for the Dutch police. Also a presentation on for European Security Round Table Working Group ESRT on forensic science, which also was a result from a meeting of FIDIS.
Currently we are also distributing a proficiency test for camera identification, where we send out a camera and ask to compare these with ten directories of images. Of course also some work for the AAFS in reviewing membership applications and preparing the handouts for the totally revised workshop on Forensic Multimedia. Another challenge we organize is the CAMCOM-challenge for camera identification for ICPR.
Last week I also attended a meeting in Tokyo of the IOCE, where I gave two presentations : one on 17025 in digital evidence and one on the ENFSI Forensic IT Working group. We also discussed the ISO 27037 standard on Guidelines for identification, collection and/or acquisition and preservation of digital evidence where also from ENFSI Forensic IT there were 84 proposals for changes.
Next year we will have our working group meeting of ENFSI Forensic IT in Moscow in September 2010.
Currently we are also distributing a proficiency test for camera identification, where we send out a camera and ask to compare these with ten directories of images. Of course also some work for the AAFS in reviewing membership applications and preparing the handouts for the totally revised workshop on Forensic Multimedia. Another challenge we organize is the CAMCOM-challenge for camera identification for ICPR.
Last week I also attended a meeting in Tokyo of the IOCE, where I gave two presentations : one on 17025 in digital evidence and one on the ENFSI Forensic IT Working group. We also discussed the ISO 27037 standard on Guidelines for identification, collection and/or acquisition and preservation of digital evidence where also from ENFSI Forensic IT there were 84 proposals for changes.
Next year we will have our working group meeting of ENFSI Forensic IT in Moscow in September 2010.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
October 2009
I had a short vacation in Helsink, Finlandi and Tallinn, Estonia. Also I went for two days to the Digital Imaging working group conference of ENFSI. I organized a workshop for identfication of cameras with PRNU , since I was planning to organize a collaborative exercise / proficiency test for this field, and furthermore would like to collaborate in a European project on this, however as always we need to find the time.
I was also maintaining my website, and it appeared that my forum had to be cleaned up, and was not used for a while. On line forums and mailing list are sometimes unpredicatable in their behavior, as I also experience with the FORENS-L list which I host. In the past it was not necessary to moderate, however nowadays it seems to be unavoidable, since flames occur.
This month I have my caseload to handle on the different cases, with also a reconstruction at the scene of crime. Also we are working on the WCIT 2010 on the cybersaftey and security track, which is a public private partnership.
I was also maintaining my website, and it appeared that my forum had to be cleaned up, and was not used for a while. On line forums and mailing list are sometimes unpredicatable in their behavior, as I also experience with the FORENS-L list which I host. In the past it was not necessary to moderate, however nowadays it seems to be unavoidable, since flames occur.
This month I have my caseload to handle on the different cases, with also a reconstruction at the scene of crime. Also we are working on the WCIT 2010 on the cybersaftey and security track, which is a public private partnership.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
September (2) 2009
I enjoyed the EAFS conference very much. We organized the workshop on Digital Evidence, and it appeared that we had good attendance from experts within different fields. It remains an issue to make a good workshop were people also can do some hands on and it is not a plenary kind of thing. Of course working in smaller groups can solve this issue. I had also some time to relax in Glasgow, and discuss with colleagues on issues in forensic science.
On Friday morning I chaired a session on Digital Evidence, where Peter Sommer was the keynote speaker. He was giving an overview of the rate of change, and the issue that forensic peer reviewed articles can not follow this rate of change. So not all specific methods in digital evidence that are used in court are peer reviewed, since often one has to do research and reverse engineering to find the particular digital traces, and it is used in that specific case. So if someone would like to follow Daubert exactly, it appears that the exact method is not peer reviewed. Of course a general approach of using digital evidence is described however in digital evidence, also in guidelines of ENFSI www.enfsi.eu . A solution might be a peer review of the method during the case by other experts. Another issue is that most forensic scientist are often loaded with casework and do not have time to publish.
It was good to be at this conferences, and although the papers varied in quality, I had good discussions, and I always learn from these conferences, and see the different approaches within different law systems. The good thing that we also have within our working group is that there is a new standard being developed for collecting Digital Evidence, which should be ready in 2012. It is standard http://www.iso27001security.com/html/27037.html ISO 27037 which will be developed now. I think it is very good since very often digital evidence, such as emails and logfiles will cross borders and jurisdictions if cases are on internet.
After that I had a week to recover, and work on some casework and new Research and Development. Last Friday I went to Brussels and talked to several people of the European Commission concerning the developments in forensic IT within Europe. Also I was discussing on the program of WCIT 2010 http://www.wcit2010.com/ which also handles the rate of change, and the issues and solutions around it. The NFI is the organiser of a track within this conference, and we are looking further in this program.
Budgets are currently tighter within most forensic institutes and government agencies, so we always have to consider more efficient ways on processing forensic examination, and maintaining the high quality. It will give new solutions, and approaches, as long as long term investments are continued. Training and education is always necessary on all levels such that the law enforcement knows limitations and possibilities of forensic evidence, and of course it remains important to have good guidelines which are easy to use and easy to understand, such that important forensic evidence will not be destroyed by accident.
On Friday morning I chaired a session on Digital Evidence, where Peter Sommer was the keynote speaker. He was giving an overview of the rate of change, and the issue that forensic peer reviewed articles can not follow this rate of change. So not all specific methods in digital evidence that are used in court are peer reviewed, since often one has to do research and reverse engineering to find the particular digital traces, and it is used in that specific case. So if someone would like to follow Daubert exactly, it appears that the exact method is not peer reviewed. Of course a general approach of using digital evidence is described however in digital evidence, also in guidelines of ENFSI www.enfsi.eu . A solution might be a peer review of the method during the case by other experts. Another issue is that most forensic scientist are often loaded with casework and do not have time to publish.
It was good to be at this conferences, and although the papers varied in quality, I had good discussions, and I always learn from these conferences, and see the different approaches within different law systems. The good thing that we also have within our working group is that there is a new standard being developed for collecting Digital Evidence, which should be ready in 2012. It is standard http://www.iso27001security.com/html/27037.html ISO 27037 which will be developed now. I think it is very good since very often digital evidence, such as emails and logfiles will cross borders and jurisdictions if cases are on internet.
After that I had a week to recover, and work on some casework and new Research and Development. Last Friday I went to Brussels and talked to several people of the European Commission concerning the developments in forensic IT within Europe. Also I was discussing on the program of WCIT 2010 http://www.wcit2010.com/ which also handles the rate of change, and the issues and solutions around it. The NFI is the organiser of a track within this conference, and we are looking further in this program.
Budgets are currently tighter within most forensic institutes and government agencies, so we always have to consider more efficient ways on processing forensic examination, and maintaining the high quality. It will give new solutions, and approaches, as long as long term investments are continued. Training and education is always necessary on all levels such that the law enforcement knows limitations and possibilities of forensic evidence, and of course it remains important to have good guidelines which are easy to use and easy to understand, such that important forensic evidence will not be destroyed by accident.
Monday, September 07, 2009
September 2009
This month starts with a conference in Wiesbaden, Germany at the BKA of the ENFSI Forensic IT Working group. Really excellent talks, and also ideas for joint European Projects within the EU. It is good that proficiency tests are organized, which is a form of collaborative exercise to check if we all have the same results of a case. Also many developments in the field which is always changing rapidly are discussed. It is important to exchange results of Research and Development, since we would otherwise do the same twice with limited amounts of money. The organization was really excellent by the BKA, and we also visited a wine producer in this area known from the Riesling wine, as was organized as gala dinner in the evening.
The second week if for me the EAFS 2009 in Glasgow. Many forensic scientist will visit this conference, where I am looking forward to speak with many colleagues. I have organized a workshop on the Tuesday and will present two papers on the Friday. The week after that I will be at the NFI, and of course doing casework and looking how things have developed.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
September 2009
With last month the DFRWS Digital Forensic Research Workshop in Montreal, I had vacation in Boston and Vermont. Vermont is a beautiful green state. It was at the same period as the hurricane Bill, however I did not have much issues with it. It moved with me to Montreal, and then we went over it to Amsterdam. I worked a day at the institute, and I received an request of a proscecutor to clarify my report since there was some discussion on a sentence in my report. It is always good to get this kind of feedback.
Currently I am in Wiesbaden, Germany, at the ENFSI Forensic IT Working group conference http://www.enfsi.eu/ . I am preparing the general presentations as chairman, and some of the issues that we have. Of course I will shortly discuss about the NAS-report, and implications, and furthermore on some proficiency testings. It is excellently organized, and the city of Wiesbaden, Germany is very nice.
Next week the European Academy of Forensic Science will have their conference in Glasgow. I am currently preparing a workshop, and some papers on defraser (http://www.sourceforge.net/) and prnu compare also open source.
It is an exciting time, and of course I have to care not to get the H1N1 flue in the meantime, since I have moderate asthma, however it is also statistics that are involved in this. Lots of travelling these months, and I hope we will have some good projects also on PRNU, and I am looking forward to organize a proficiency test on this, and propose it in London during a workshop at the Forensic Digital Imaging Workshop. Perhaps we should already ask for some European funding, since the financial situation is getting worse due to cuts in projects and budgets, which is of course also not good for the economy as a whole, however is sometimes necessary (and I hope the right things are selected, which is not easy). When I come back, of course I will spend lots of time on casework and administative work.
Currently I am in Wiesbaden, Germany, at the ENFSI Forensic IT Working group conference http://www.enfsi.eu/ . I am preparing the general presentations as chairman, and some of the issues that we have. Of course I will shortly discuss about the NAS-report, and implications, and furthermore on some proficiency testings. It is excellently organized, and the city of Wiesbaden, Germany is very nice.
Next week the European Academy of Forensic Science will have their conference in Glasgow. I am currently preparing a workshop, and some papers on defraser (http://www.sourceforge.net/) and prnu compare also open source.
It is an exciting time, and of course I have to care not to get the H1N1 flue in the meantime, since I have moderate asthma, however it is also statistics that are involved in this. Lots of travelling these months, and I hope we will have some good projects also on PRNU, and I am looking forward to organize a proficiency test on this, and propose it in London during a workshop at the Forensic Digital Imaging Workshop. Perhaps we should already ask for some European funding, since the financial situation is getting worse due to cuts in projects and budgets, which is of course also not good for the economy as a whole, however is sometimes necessary (and I hope the right things are selected, which is not easy). When I come back, of course I will spend lots of time on casework and administative work.
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