Interviewer: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, Mr. Smith. Can you tell us a little bit about XY Investigative Services and the work that you do?

Me: Sure. XY Investigative Services is a private investigation firm that specializes in high-tech crime. We help businesses and individuals investigate and recover from a wide range of computer-related crimes, including:

• Phishing
• Malware
• Ransomware
• Cyberbullying
• Identity theft
• Intellectual property theft
• Data breaches

We also provide training and consulting services to help businesses protect themselves from cybercrime.

Interviewer: That’s a wide range of services. Can you tell us about the three most important people that a forensic investigator must interview to secure evidence in computer-related crimes?

Me: Sure. The three most important people to interview are:

1. The victim: The victim can provide information about the crime, such as when and how it happened, who they believe was responsible, and what they lost.
2. The suspect: If the suspect is known, the investigator can interview them to get their side of the story and to gather evidence of their guilt.
3. A computer expert: A computer expert can help the investigator to understand the technical aspects of the crime and to recover evidence from the victim’s computer or network.

Here are three questions that I would ask each of these people:

• Victim: What happened?
• Suspect: What happened?
• Computer expert: What happened?

Of course, the specific questions that I would ask would vary depending on the specific crime that was committed.

Interviewer: What do you believe to be the top three computer related crimes today?

Me: The top three computer related crimes today are:

1. Phishing: Phishing is a type of social engineering attack in which the attacker sends an email or text message that appears to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or credit card company. The email or text message will often contain a link that, when clicked, will take the victim to a fake website that looks like the real website. Once the victim enters their personal information on the fake website, the attacker can steal it.
2. Malware: Malware is software that is designed to harm a computer system. Malware can be installed on a computer through a variety of ways, such as clicking on a malicious link, opening an infected attachment, or downloading a file from an untrusted source. Once malware is installed on a computer, it can steal data, damage files, or even take control of the computer.
3. Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s files and demands a ransom payment in order to decrypt them. Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common in recent years, and they can be very costly for victims.

Interviewer: How do you view the future of computer related crimes in 20 years?

Me: I believe that computer related crimes will continue to grow in the future. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so too will the methods that criminals use to exploit it. In 20 years, I believe that we will see even more sophisticated phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware attacks. I also believe that we will see an increase in the number of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, such as power grids and water systems.

Interviewer: What are three types of evidence that you would initially look for in a computer-related crime investigation?

Me: The three types of evidence that I would initially look for in a computer-related crime investigation are:

1. Hard drives: Hard drives are the most likely place to find evidence of a computer crime. This is because most malware and other types of malicious software are stored on the hard drive.
2. E-mail or text documents: E-mail and text documents can also contain evidence of a computer crime. This is because criminals often use e-mail or text messages to communicate with each other or to send instructions to their victims.
3. Networks: Networks can also contain evidence of a computer crime. This is because criminals often use networks to spread malware or to access victim’s computers.

I would also look for other types of evidence, such as social media posts, chat logs, and financial records. The specific types of evidence that I would look for would depend on the specific crime that was committed.

Interviewer: Thank you for your time, Mr. Smith. This has been very informative.

Me: You’re welcome. I hope this information was helpful.