SUCCEED

   

Forensic Science
Shodor > SUCCEED > Curriculum > Workshops > Forensic Science

Checking the Inbox and Outbox

An e-mail from an apprentice was sent to the instructor's inbox. This individual's e-mail confesses to the crime of stealing all of the cookies. This e-mail should be projected onto a screen so that the entire class can see it.

The apprentice should be brought in and questioned about the e-mail. Questions could include:

  • Did you steal the cookies on the morning of July 18th?
  • Why did you send an e-mail confessing to the cookie theft?
  • Then how do you explain why we received an e-mail from you confessing?

Explore the technical problems that are involved with this e-mail:

  • Ask apprentice to show the students his/her sent folder
  • Verify that the e-mail is in the sent folder
  • Ask apprentice to leave so that you can conduct further investigation

Discuss the possible explanations:

  • Is there any way that the apprentice could be telling the truth?
  • What could have happened if the apprentice is telling the truth?
  • Who is this email from? Why would the apprentice write something so obviously not true in the e-mail?
  • Could someone else have sent the email while making us think it was from the apprentice? How?
  • How could someone make a fake(spoofed) email?