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Doug Krizner: A computer forensics trade show opens today in Washington, D.C. Organizers say it’s the first time the public can see how special software will either protect a computer or help thieves steal data, even if you thought it was emptied from your trash. Danielle Karson has more.

Danielle Karson: The computer forensics business took in a billion dollars last year. More people are using it to litigate, ferret out employee Internet abuse, and of course, for industrial espionage.

Michael Smollen: A court can request this PC to be turned over, and if it’s encrypted or deleted, these are the professionals who will find that data anyway.

Michael Smollen is the show’s technology director:

Smollen: Here’s four days where you can see what all the best in the business are doing and what the state of the industry is.

Software company Access Data is attending the trade show to pitch its newest Forensic Tool Kit. The firm’s Chris Mellen says computer hard drives are bursting with information just crying out for attention.

Chris Mellen: Being able to analyze and process this data en masse is becoming a huge challenge within the industry. So what our software allows us to do is to take all this data and analyze it efficiently and quickly.

In Washington, I’m Danielle Karson for Marketplace.