Digital Forensics Under Pressure: Technical and Legal Conflicts in Cyber Forensics
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Authors
Park, Hyungbae
Issue Date
2025
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Language
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Abstract
FBI agents executed a search warrant at the residence of defendant Ramona Fricosu, a Colorado woman suspected of orchestrating a mortgage and financial fraud scheme. During the search, six computers were seized, including three laptops. Two laptops were unencrypted and examined. The third, a Toshiba Satellite M305 found in Ms. Fricosu’s bedroom, was protected with PGP Full Disk Encryption. The laptop was active, logged into Fricosu’s user account, and visibly in the process of deleting files. The investigative team faced an immediate crisis: the laptop’s solid-state drive (SSD) was performing TRIM operations, automatically erasing deleted data blocks. Any delay or improper handling could result in permanent loss of digital evidence.