Electronic devices have become an indispensable part of our personal and professional lives. Most communication, documentation, and information today is created and stored electronically, with much of it not being recorded on paper. However, less paperwork does not necessarily mean less of a paper trail.
Computer forensics, or digital forensics, involves the acquisition and analysis of digital information and evidence that is stored on electronic devices, in the context of legal proceedings.
Mr. Pang left China after high school to attend university in Canada. Immediately after finishing his studies, Mr. Pang found employment in Canada as an engineer for a car manufacturer’s autonomous driving department. He had been working for this company for 6 years, when he suddenly informed his superiors that he would be resigning, and returning to China to take care of his grandmother. During Mr. Pang’s exit interview, he informed the Human Resource manager that he had been hired to spearhead the autonomous driving division for an electric car manufacturer in China.
Throughout the exit interview, the Human Resource manager grew increasingly suspicious and felt that something was amiss with Mr. Pang. It seemed as though he was not being completely honest regarding the circumstances of his sudden departure. As a result, the company decided to launch an internal investigation. They searched Mr. Pang’s work phone and laptop, and reviewed his network activity.
The investigation uncovered Mr. Pang’s nefarious intentions by revealing targeted searches and downloads of highly confidential proprietary information, as well as organizational trade secrets. When confronted by the internal investigators, Mr. Pang admitted to downloading the company’s data with the sole purpose of selling it with the expressed intent of duplicating the car manufacturer’s work in China.