The PNW Cybersecurity Center facilitated professional development training for 30 local law enforcement officers on evaluating and processing digital evidence during March 2024.
With support from a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the center hosted a four-day training covering topics related to the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is a descriptor that captures a wide range of computing devices with significant processing and connectivity capabilities that accommodate not only the data held within them, but also the digital transfer of information to and from various networks. You can think of this as a confluence where physical items such as mobile phones, security systems, and device cameras support the digital ecosystem. These devices could be of interest to law enforcement agencies in processing digital evidence.
Over four Fridays, center faculty and graduate students will lead sessions exploring the forensics of low-profile and high-profile IoT devices, database fundamentals, smartphone forensics, and analysis of smartphone forensics on digital networks. I took the lead. Participating law enforcement officers will participate in hands-on activities and gain a deeper understanding of how digital evidence and artifacts from consumer-facing technologies are extracted and analyzed to convey evidence. is completed.
The primary research mission of the PNW Cybersecurity Center is to improve the security and resiliency of cyber systems, develop strategies to reduce cybersecurity incidents, and promote quality education for future workforce training . Designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, the center's lead researchers are influential researchers in local communities addressing cybersecurity concerns. We serve as subject matter experts who can provide change and learning.
“We want to reach out and engage not only the academia but also the industry and, of course, the law enforcement community,” said Michael Tu, professor of computer information technology and director of the Center for Cybersecurity. . “Not only will this help advance the PNW, but it will also help the local law enforcement community. This will foster future collaboration and could be applied to other industries and sectors as well.”
Additionally, as IoT is a contemporary focus area of cybersecurity research, PNW Cybersecurity and Computer Information Technology students have the opportunity to be exposed to IoT trends in their course curriculum and research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I am getting.
