About the Author

Samir Datt has been dabbling with digital investigations since 1988, which was around the time he solved his first case with the help of an old PC and Lotus 123. He is the Founder CEO of Foundation Futuristic Technologies (P) Ltd, better known as ForensicsGuru.com. He is widely credited with evangelizing computer forensics in the Indian subcontinent and has personally trained thousands of law enforcement officers in the area. He has the distinction of starting the computer forensics industry in South Asia and setting up India's first computer forensic lab in the private sector. He is consulted by law enforcement agencies and private sector on various technology-related investigative issues. He has extensive experience in training thousands of investigators as well as examining a large number of digital sources of evidence in both private and government investigations.

At last it is done,

A journey that long ago was begun,

Many lights there are that have helped on the way,

To everyone of them, my thanks I would say.

This book would never have seen the light of day had it not been for Tushar Gupta, acquisition editor at Packt Publishing. He tracked me down and invited and convinced me to write. He encouraged me, cajoled me, and finally pushed me into the mystic world of authoring. Thanks Tushar!

I would also like to convey my heartfelt thanks to Riddhi Tuljapurkar, my content development editor. She has been a beacon guiding me through the myriad steps that being an author involves. A first-time author has many moments of self-doubt and hesitation; never did she let me falter, always encouraging, always supportive, she is perhaps the single most important reason that the book is ready on time. Thank you!

My book reviewers have been my compass and their encouragements, suggestions, comments, and guidance have been instrumental in getting the book to its present state. Thank you Clinton D'Souza and Nikhil Agarwal. I am indeed deeply grateful.

My family has been my biggest cheerleader. A special thanks to my wife, Resham, who has had to put up with my extensive travel schedules and uncounted holidays and weekends devoted to meeting the chapter deadlines. She has been my rock and has always believed that I was destined to write. My son, Madhav, who despite his own hectic schedules at IIT, Kharagpur, took time out to help me with the illustrations, screenshots, chapter editing, and scenario environments. Without you this could never have been done. Many thanks!

I also owe a thank you to my parents, who have been encouraging throughout the course of this book. My dogs, Tuffy, Lucky, Lolu, and Chutki, have been a source of inspiration by constantly bombarding me with unlimited doses of love and affection.

Thanks are also due to the rock-solid team at ForensicsGuru.com, who helped me with my research and chapter illustrations. Great work, guys!

Last but not least, I thank the Creator; for without Him, no creation is possible.