Development of a framework for the investigation into the methods used for the electronic trafficking and concealment of child abuse material
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(Published version)
Date
2012
Authors
Watt, Allan Charles
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thesis
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Abstract
The birth of the Internet removed international boundaries, provided a knowledge base of information and a ubiquitous communications framework for everyone, anytime, anywhere. It also provided a portal for fraudsters, predators and opportunists to prey on the naive and also take advantage of weaknesses or vulnerabilities in this worldwide network of computers. These same opportunists also use this portal for the distribution of inappropriate material, one of the foremost being Child Abuse Material (CAM), formerly referred to as Child Pornography.
This research project conducted tests on file movement and concealment that identified items that became evidential artefacts. These artefacts can be a reference for investigators, who rather than having to create a test environment, can utilise these findings and use them as a cross reference to enhance their investigation. From these tests emerged a framework that an investigator can use when presented with a device that may contain potential CAM trafficking and/or concealment of evidence. This framework can be used by investigators to assist them in quickly locating what they are looking for and in some cases locate evidence that otherwise would not have been found.
CAM is a by-product of child sexual abuse, child sex tourism and human trafficking. A serious approach toward the investigation into the trafficking and concealment of CAM is needed. Any reduction in demand through this approach will, in time, stem the supply and reduce the physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children worldwide. The ultimate point put forward is that, the source of predators that traffic children and produce CAM can be tracked. This framework and other continuing research can be used to capture digital information, formulate it into intelligence and in doing so locate the source of communications or distribution of CAM. This will lead to the apprehension of those responsible. What is needed for this to succeed is a proactive approach and unity in investigations.
School/Discipline
University of South Australia School of Electrical and Information Engineering.
School of Computer and Information Science
School of Computer and Information Science
Dissertation Note
Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2012.
Provenance
Copyright 2012 Allan Charles Watt. This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Australia 3.0 licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/)
Description
xviii, 348 pages
illustrations
Includes bibliographical references (pages 270-278)
illustrations
Includes bibliographical references (pages 270-278)
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