Computer Forensics Archives - Page 5 of 17

It’s the Little Details That Come from Computer Forensics Experience That Breaks Cases Wide Open

As a full-service investigative firm, is the source for a certified computer examiner in the Indianapolis area. Our experience is part of the reason attorneys turn to us. In fact, it is our knowledge and experience that can really make the difference in some cases. For instance, we were tasked with completing a computer forensic examination on a work computer used by a person accused of providing confidential information to a competitor. The accused knew his computer would be submitted to us during a general information meeting. Our impression, because, as investigators, we are highly observant during an investigation, was that the subject was confident, almost smug, that nothing would be found on the device. It was a red flag to us. The computer forensic [...]

Do You Think Computer Forensics Conjures Up the Past Like Magic?

Computer forensics is not magic, in fact it is very technical in nature and can be very exacting. People always wonder how the computer forensics experts at can “conjure” up “stuff” from computers that the owners thought was gone. How does forensics data recovery work? When it comes to files, forensic computer investigations and computer forensic analysis works from a three-pronged approach. The first is to recover files as we users know them. For example, a Word document or an Excel worksheet or workbook. These are files that openly exist on the computer. These are not files the user thinks has been deleted or removed. Although some of those could exist in their original form in the recycle or trash folders. The second is the [...]

Are Employees Putting Holes in Your Business’s Digital Security?

As if business owners didn’t have enough to worry about, computer hackers are opening a new can of worms that can affect businesses on the sly. And not only is it a problem, but an embarrassing situation as well. Let me give you an example: There was a site based in Canada called Ashley Madison devoted to allowing people to arrange extramarital affairs. The site was hacked and the identities of the subscribers were leaked out to the hackers. The data was traced back to the subscribers and they were sent emails infected with malware. Where the rub for businesses came in was that many of the subscribers had subscribed to the service using their business email addresses. So after the data leak, the malware [...]

Computer Forensics Done Right – or not at all

Recently the Department of Justice issued a US search warrant to Microsoft in regard to emails sent from an Ireland-based subscriber. According to an article in the Guardian, “The United States government has the right to demand the emails of anyone in the world from any email provider headquartered within US borders, Department of Justice (DoJ) lawyers told a federal appeals court…) While they argue the case in court with Microsoft contending that the DoJ has exceeded its authority, computer forensics firms here in the US are legally bound to obtain permission from device owners and to follow a legal process for cell records in digital forensics investigations. Some may believe that computer forensics investigations are done in the shadows. That may appear to be [...]

Is it Employee Embezzlement?

A very depressed-looking business owner came in for an appointment at . We are accustomed to clients or prospective clients arriving emotionally charged, either very angry or hurt, but they don’t usually act like this gentleman. Once talking, he explained that he was “darn near just ready to chuck it all in.” He said he was just confounded by what he knew was going on in his company. He just needed proof of it and confirmation of how deep the damage went. Whew. He explained that because his company dealt with many clients coming in for training from out of town, he maintained an apartment for their use doing their stay. It was fully furnished and maintained. What he had discovered was that it had [...]

Are You Being Victimized By Corporate Espionage?

According to a recent article on CNN, the head of the FBI’s counterintelligence division, Randall Coleman said that the bureau has seen a 53% increase in economic espionage cases. To warn and educate industry leaders, the FBI has launched a nationwide campaign. In the article, Bill Evanina, head of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said, “Economic security is national security.” There is growing evidence of threats from several different nations, which is part of the concern from the government agencies. Three scenarios highlight the types of situations of corporate espionage: Insider Threats. This is a situation where individuals who are familiar with the inner workings of a company or products are recruited by outside organizations. Sometimes these individuals actually “spy” on the company and [...]

Not All Office Spying is About Corporate Espionage

Many times, our clients are flabbergasted after we conduct a very confidential TSCM sweep of their offices. When TSCM services are combined with digital forensics, the findings catch them by surprise. It’s not uncommon for IT departments to be asked to monitor employee’s habits in surfing the Internet. Today with so much of the business world transacting business through the Internet, monitoring has been reduced to applying restrictions and developing Internet use policies. What Sort of Investigation? One C-level executive had a problem and contacted directly. He was a little uncertain about what he wanted. There was a female admin who was giving him some weird vibes. So much so that he went to personnel to find out where she had worked previously because he [...]

Stalker Outed with Digital Forensics and Surveillance

After dealing with the very bizarre behavior of a scorned lover in another state, our female client called . Although she had relocated, she was scared because she knew he had found her. In her previous home, the man had stalked her; repeatedly calling her house and following her around. She had tried several times to seek assistance from law enforcement officers but was told that they could do nothing to help her. Not until a crime was committed. And by then, of course, it would be too late to protect herself. In an attempt to protect herself, the woman moved out of state. She changed her cell phone number. Only family members and a handful of close friends knew her whereabouts. But now weird [...]

Are You Putting Your Computer at Risk?

Recent allegations that an Arkansas police department shared “malicious software” with a defense attorney in an attempt to infiltrate his computer and disrupt his work, brings something to mind that is important for business people and companies to know. The attorney demands that a computer forensic investigation be undertaken by a computer forensic expert. It’s a shocking allegation, and the only way to determine if it’s true is to do a forensic computer analysis. It’s not just shocking, as computer forensic investigators here at , we have to spread the word that it is so easy to be victimized in this way. Any time you accept something into your computer system, you are taking a chance. And I mean anything: Emails Video files Photos Software [...]

Disruptive Computer Hacking on the Rise

Everyone knows that businesses face risks from cyber threats. However, what isn’t realized is that the risk isn’t just a problem for BIG business, it’s a problem for EVERY business. As leaders in computer forensic investigation and experience as spyware detectors and spyware removers, the computer forensics experts at can tell you that the Allianz Risk Barometer 2015 is accurate in reporting that disruptive scenarios are increasing in number. The point they want to make is that risk management must reflect this new reality and we agree. Attacks made on servers and systems to infiltrate and steal information and data are still a prime concern, but that is not the only scenario that computer forensics companies are being called in to address. No, there are [...]