LIARS: Laptop Inspector and Recovery System

Of the many notebook computers which are stolen, a large number are subsequently recovered. However, if the device is password protected, and the serial number has been removed, then it is difficult for police or other authorities to trace the legitimate owner. The squad dedicated to computer related crime do not have sufficient resources to conduct a thorough forensic examination of every laptop in order to determine its rightful owner. This project aims to produce a tool which can be used by virtually any police officer, or other person, which does not alter the hard drive in any fashion. This tool will be used to identify the original owner of a laptop with a view to having it returned to them. This paper outlines the various phases of the project and the testing methods that will be used to validate the tool.