Scientific Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs

In this publication, the problem issues connected with the peculiarities of determination of the tasks and objects of computer forensics are addressed in the context of the forensic expert activity. They are based on the analysis of modern criminal situation and practice of the crime investigation connected with computer information circulation, as well as crimes in which computer information systems are means and tools of committing crimes. It is stated that correct identification of the computer forensics tasks, the urgent and the most important tasks of the investigators and field operators are searching, fixation and confiscation of material objects (the information carriers that become the object of expert examination), and their further delivery to the expert that should be done in the original state. Giving groundsfor his point of view, the author states that only three of them fall under this classification: hardware testing; specifying the functional role, characteristics and implemented requirements, algorithms and structural peculiarities, and the current condition of given software and hardware; search, identification, analysis and evaluation of cyber information (computer data), prepared by the user or created by the software for information processes in computer system. The author presents the classification of computer forensics objects. The main requirements to the posed issues, which are solved by the expert in a certain type of expertise, are formulated in this publication. The analysis of the errors most frequently admitted in criminal cases by investigator and field operator during the process of objects preparation for the examination, and by courts when ordering computer forensics is given. Following the modern demands of pre-trial investigation bodies the list of possible typical questions to be solved by the expert, and the general requirements to the objects that are forwarded for computer forensics are set out in this publication.