BKSFWRFR.RVW   20040706

"Software Forensics", Robert M. Slade, 2004, 0-07-142804-6,
U$39.95/C$3.95/UK#29.99
%A   Robert M. Slade rslade@vcn.bc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
%C   300 Water Street, Whitby, Ontario   L1N 9B6
%D   2004
%G   0-07-142804-6
%I   McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne
%O   U$39.95/C$3.95/UK#29.99 800-565-5758 fax: 905-430-5020
%O  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071428046/robsladesinterne
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071428046/robsladesinte-21
%O   http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071428046/robsladesin03-20
%P   215 p.
%T   "Software Forensics"

As long as I'm reviewing books about which I can't be objective, I
might as well review my own.

This book is about software forensics.  Nobody seems to know what that
is.

"Oh, you look for child porno and drug dealer addresses on seized
computers, right?"  Umm, no.  That's computer forensics which,
although it should be broader, has become limited to the basic data
recovery aspect of the wider field of digital forensics.

Software forensics delves into what evidence you can glean from
software itself.  This is useful in malware and virus research (where
it has long been known as forensic programming), as well as in cases
involving intellectual property and plagiarism.  The study and tools
utilized in software forensics can assist with determining the intent
and authorship of a piece of software.  At times it can even help with
tasks such as recovering source code with legacy programs, or porting
to new systems.

In the book there is an overview of software forensics itself.  One
chapter looks at blackhat sociology and culture, since those
characteristics can be evident in the programming style.  There is
material on the various tools, and properties of malicious software. 
Presentation of this type of evidence in court is difficult, so
chapter five reviews expert witness restrictions and other legal
issues.  Content is included on programming cultures, stylistic
analysis, and authorship analysis.

I can say, without any bias whatever, that this is the finest work on
this topic available today.  I can say that, because it's the *only*
book that is dedicated to the subject.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 2004   BKSFWRFR.RVW   20040706