Technology – Cyber Forensics Unit - Knox County Sheriff Website

Knox County
Sheriff's Office

CFU

Almost every major investigation, from homicide investigations to fraud and child exploitation, involve the storage of large volumes of information in a digital format. The Cyber Forensics Unit is responsible for conducting the complex analysis and retrieval of vital evidentiary information from digital sources seized during these investigations, as well as conducting child exploitation investigations. The unit consists of officers with advanced training in digital forensics, network intrusion, and cyber investigations, who are equipped with the finest technology available to law enforcement.

As well as being a technology advantage to the KCSO, the Cyber Forensics Unit officers assist surrounding counties, which may lack resources or training, in digital evidence processing and analysis, making them a regional asset to east TN.

Our Work

The Cyber Forensics Unit maintains the Knox County Sheriff’s Office’s Digital Forensics Laboratory, currently located at 1000 N. Central Street, Knoxville, TN. The lab consists of forensic acquisition and analysis workstations, hardware based forensic imaging tools, cellular telephone acquisition systems, and mobile examination equipment, as well as a secure evidence storage room. The technical cases at the lab vary by the type of digital devices involved; computer forensics, network forensics, forensic data analysis and mobile device forensics. The typical forensic process encompasses the collection, forensic imaging (acquisition) and analysis of digital media, and results in the production of an evidence report.

The Cyber Forensics Unit also works closely with the Tennessee Internet Crimes Against Children (TN ICAC) Task Force and responds to Cyber tips generated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in conjunction with other local, State and Federal agencies to combat online child exploitation. Visit www.cybertipline.com or call 1-800-843-5678 to make ALL reports regarding online child sexual exploitation.

The KCSO Cyber Forensics Unit is increasingly becoming a regional resource, by processing digital evidence for law enforcement agencies, both local and federal, across East Tennessee.

As we spend more time online, crimes that previously occurred face to face – like credit card fraud, identity theft, and harassment – now occur online as well, and the perpetrator can be anywhere in the world. In these incidents, federal agencies have jurisdiction and can notify local agencies when they discover a suspect’s location. By reporting cybercrime to the appropriate authorities, you can play a role in making the Internet safer and more secure for everyone.

The KCSO Cyber Forensics Unit is increasingly becoming a regional resource, by processing digital evidence for law enforcement agencies, both local and federal, across East Tennessee.