INVESTIGATING COMPUTER-RELATED CRIME A HANDBOOK FOR CORPORATE INVESTIGATORS

The introduction of the IBM Personal Computer in 1982 fostered a technology revolution that has changed the way the world does business. Prior to that historic milestone, several personal computers existed, e.g., Apple, TRS 80, but they were primarily used by individuals, schools, and small businesses. When computer mainframe giant, International Business Machines (IBM) entered the personal computer market in 1982, the event quickly captured the attention of corporations and government agencies worldwide. Personal computers were no longer thought of as toys and almost overnight they were accepted as reliable business computers. Since their introduction, IBM PCs and compatible computers have evolved into powerful corporate network servers, desktop computers, and notebook computers. They have also migrated into millions of households, and their popularity exploded during the 1990s when the world discovered the Internet. The worldwide popularity of both personal computers and the Internet has been a mixed blessing. The immediate popularity of the IBM PC was not anticipated. The DOS operating system installed on the original personal computers back in 1982 was never intended for commercial use and therefore was not designed to be secure. In the interest of maintaining compatibility with the early versions of DOS, upgrades to the operating system could not adequately address security issues. As a result, most corporate desktop PCs and notebook computers lack adequate security.