October 2012 - All in Investigations

Bug Sweep in Preparation for Top-Level Confidential Board Meetings

I just heard that the Teacher’s Union in a major metropolitan city has sent a notice of intent to strike to the school district. I won’t comment on that, but it did remind me of a case took on not too long ago when another company needed a Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) specialist and specialized TSCM services. The Board of a large corporation was intending to meet to discuss a major change for the organization – there was even talk of a change of ownership. The rumors had workers and management nervous and twitchy. The Board knew that if any information they discussed leaked out, it could be disastrous for the current operations and, if they did change ownership, for the valuation of the company. [...]

Be Proactive so You Don’t Need Cell Phone Spyware Detection Services

We were recently asked here at how to prevent a cell phone from becoming a mobile spy. No one wants to be a victim of a bad guy eavesdropping on their conversations or their life through a cell phone listening device and we can detect it using cellphone forensics. At this time, there isn’t any 100% surefire method to prevent spyware on cell phones. However, there are a few things that would prevent cell phone surveillance: Understand the SIM Card. A SIM card is a microchip about the size of a postage stamp that is usually located adjacent to the batter in a mobile phone. The Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) is used to identify and authenticate the user of the mobile phone. That’s why a [...]

A Mobile Spy Could be in Your Pocket – and a Ping Indicates the Door is Open

Do you know what a ping is? Do you ever remember those movies where one ship or submarine sends out a sonar signal to determine the location of another ship or submarine? They make that ping sort of noise? Well that is similar to a cell phone ping only, in the case of smart phones, it can open up more than just your location. If the phone has GPS or Internet connections, your location can be noted. If a bad guy wants to keep tabs on you, pinging your cell phone can alert him to your location at any moment. The ping is the signal and is also a request for information. When the request is answered, that means there is a connection between the [...]

Odd Noises and Voices Could be Signs of Cell Phone Spyware

Sometimes the bad guys who have installed cell phone spyware on a mobile device fumble and their fumbles could mean you discover their covert actions. For instance, here at , we had a client come in with his Blackberry in his hand and say that something just wasn’t right. His request was for a forensic phone analysis. He realized a couple of times when someone made a comment about something that no one except he and his partner knew about. His partner swore that he hadn’t shared any of the information with anyone, but somehow the information got out. The only explanation in his mind by this point was that there had to be something – or someone – listening in on his phone and [...]

Smart Candidates undertake Due Diligence Investigations before Throwing their Hat in the Ring

It’s election time and you know what that means: politics. It is often for the best of intentions that someone decides to run for public office, but even those candidates are subjected to the arrows from the opposition. For that reason, when anyone decides to put their name out there as a candidate, it should be done only after an exhaustive due diligence process. Yes, a candidate needs to investigate his own background to see what, if anything, is lurking that could be construed in a negative light. They can be assured that the opposition will conduct due diligence investigations on them, so it’s best to be proactive. Following a due diligence checklist, investigators root out those situations that, perhaps innocent at the time, could [...]

Cell phone spyware best left to the professionals

These days people are having conversations all over the place – even private conversations in open public places. However, there may come a time when you suspect someone has information from a mobile phone conversation that wasn’t made in a public place. There is no cell phone listening device to make that possible, but there is software called spyware or malware that can be installed onto your mobile phone without your knowledge. In a recent article at Forbes, writer Andy Greenberg provides information about detecting spyware on cell phones based on a presentation by former Pentagon contractor Michael Robinson. They make it sound like an easy task to identify spyware on your phone and get rid of it. However, an astute reader will catch that [...]

Computer Forensic Analysts Provide Factual and Objective Data

When computer forensics investigators extract data, it is handled completely objectively. Many times, we don’t know the implications of what is – or is not – found in the data. We compile the information and turn it over to the client. That’s just the way it is with computer forensics analysis. For example, was involved in a computer forensics investigation in regard to an engineering firm. The attorney representing the firm provided us with parameters and lists of words to identify the information they were seeking. Our computer forensics expert extracted the data based on those parameters. Just like procedures in medical or other scientific labs, there is a specific protocol that must occur. First, computer forensics experts follow the modus operandi that make the [...]

Data Extracted in Computer Forensics Results in Additional Charges

Even though the protocol and process a computer forensics investigator uses to extract and analyze data from a computer are the same no matter who owns the computer, ownership does make a difference in the outcome once the facts are uncovered. For one thing, the owner of the machine has to provide appropriate permission for the computer forensics investigators to access data on the device. What the users are allowed to do on the machine also comes into play depending on whether the computer is owned by a private individual, a corporation or a municipality. For example, had a case where our computer forensic experts were asked to extract data from a computer owned by a municipality. An employee was suspected of using municipal funds [...]

Proves Violation of Court Order

Infidelity in marriages breaks down the trust between spouses, which is why it often ends in divorce. You might think after the marital infidelity investigation and subsequent divorce proceedings; everything between two ex-spouses is done. Often, that just isn’t the case – especially when there are children involved. When infidelity in marriages results in ex-spouses, and they have to continue to interact with each other, the level of trust between the two parties is low. This can result in a lot of continued animosity and hostility. Sometimes it is justified and sometimes it is not. In a recent situation, an ex-husband came to us. The ex-husband said he was beyond the marriage infidelity and all the emotions that go with that. He wasn’t looking for [...]

Monthly Archives: October 2012