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Finding Data in DNA: Computer Forensic Investigations of Living Organisms

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Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime (ICDF2C 2012)

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Abstract

Recent advances in genetic engineering have allowed the insertion of artificial DNA strands into the living cells of organisms. Several methods have been developed to insert information into a DNA sequence for the purpose of data storage, watermarking, or communication of secret messages. The ability to detect, extract, and decode messages from DNA is important for forensic data collection and for data security. We have developed a software toolkit that detects the presence of a hidden message within a DNA sequence, and deciphers that message. In order to decode a message we are modifying several existing cryptanalysis tools that have been developed for solving simple substitution ciphers and compare their performance.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cybersecurity Lab, Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    Marc B. Beck, Eric C. Rouchka & Roman V. Yampolskiy

Authors
  1. Marc B. Beck
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  2. Eric C. Rouchka
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  3. Roman V. Yampolskiy
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, Purdue University, 47906, Lafayette, IN, USA

    Marcus Rogers

  2. The University of Alabama, 35487, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Kathryn C. Seigfried-Spellar

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© 2013 ICST Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

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Beck, M.B., Rouchka, E.C., Yampolskiy, R.V. (2013). Finding Data in DNA: Computer Forensic Investigations of Living Organisms. In: Rogers, M., Seigfried-Spellar, K.C. (eds) Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime. ICDF2C 2012. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 114. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39891-9_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39891-9_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39890-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39891-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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