computer forensic investigations Archives - Page 3 of 8

Advanced Persistent Threat Threatens Digital Security

The worry over security is at its highest level in history. Corporations and manufacturers have full-time staff and departments fighting to eliminate vulnerabilities and safeguard company secrets and information. Some organizations conduct regularly scheduled computer forensic analysis on employee’s business devices. Forensics consultants are on retainer and computer forensic services are a line item on the budget. Likewise, company issued cell phones are collected and routine mobile phone hack detection and mobile phone spyware detection are conducted. While employees might take advantage of a vulnerability in the system, companies are also concerned with security breaches that are unknown to employees such as spyware being uploaded inadvertently by an employee. The idea of corporate espionage mostly conjures up visions of covert operations to STEAL something – [...]

What DO Private Investigators DO?

It’s not unusual for furious people to call or visit . They aren’t furious with us, but with a situation and that is the reason they are contacting us. And sometimes with that fury comes an intent that we cannot service. For instance, one man recently came in with a situation that had him in a blind rage. He was red in the face and yelling. He knew an employee was stealing from his supply house and he wanted this employee stopped. He wanted us to, “threaten him with his job and intimidate him into confessing publicly.” We let him have his say and then we told him we would not, could not do as he requested. He stopped and told us he thought that [...]

A Date is Such a Little Detail Until an Investigation Hinges on It

The world seems to get smaller every day – and more confusing. With global business and transportation becoming a norm, Americans must become more aware and accepting of different ways of doing things. The liter is more prevalent around the world than the gallon. Measurements are based on the metric system in most countries other than the United States. While these might seem like little things, one very simple, yet critical, difference is that of the format of dates. are very cognizant of the differences because in our line of work, it can really matter. In fact, a date may be a life or death bit of information. Because we conduct so many computer forensic investigations on business devices that conduct transactions in the global [...]

Owners have Options When Business Reviews are Faked

Marketing and PR firms continually tell their clients about the importance of client reviews and testimonials. Good reviews online and on sites like Yelp can mean a thriving business or severely damage the bottom line. That’s why fictitious reviews are a growing problem. First of all, positive reviews bought and posted degrade the credibility of the review sites, so professional sites are on guard against them. And, if detected, will remove them. If the abuse is continual or excessive, the business could also be removed from the review site. So business owners who are solicited by firms that guarantee positive reviews, and a certain number of them, will likely get burned in the end. The other side is the negative reviews and the damage that [...]

Are You a Targeted Individual for Blackmail

Are you a TI? That is, a Targeted Individual? A Targeted Individual is someone who is illegally or covertly harassed, abused, stalked or spied upon continuously by a group of people, an organized surveillance. Being a Targeted Individual is more than a boyfriend, spouse or colleague who installs cell phone spyware or conducts cell phone surveillance. It is less about following and spying and more about harassment and psychological abuse, potentially physical harm as well. That being said, one of the first steps taken by may be mobile phone hack detection or mobile phone spyware detection. Let me explain using a scenario that is becoming more and more common and compel clients to call . Zach was a prominent real estate executive in a large [...]

Forensic Data Recovery Reveals the Culprit

When Marcus reflected back on how he felt a few months ago, before his attorney hired a private investigator, his knees felt weak. For a long time, Marcus feared that he might never be able to prove the truth. He feared that he might be unjustly sentenced to a prison term. He worried that he would lose his family and all that he worked for so many years to financially achieve. First, Marcus spent long hours searching for clues. He tried in vain to speak to detectives at the police department. But it seemed that everyone assumed he was guilty long before a trial date was even set. As the weeks rolled by, Marcus became more upset. He was frustrated and felt like he was [...]

Virtual Currency and Bad Guys

Private investigators like consider staying on top of technology one of the requirements of the job. So when the bad guys start a trend of using a new technology, we are ready with investigative strategies to stay in step with them. We do a lot of computer investigation, forensic computer analysis and mobile phone forensics. In our experience, bad guys are trying to move money through services like Bitcoin. Many believe that transactions through these services are undetectable. While tracing the transactions takes extra skill and perseverance, they are not completely hidden. One example is that in order to get funds into the systems, the virtual currency has to actually be purchased. And purchases leave a paper trail. Computer forensics specialists, especially those who are [...]

Computer Forensic Investigations Overwhelm Authorities

In a recent article in The Police Chief, First Sergeant Charles Cohen, of the Indiana State Police identifies the challenges facing authorities in the field of computer forensics. He says that computer forensic investigators, detectives, and prosecutors all have similar lamentations: There is an unacceptable backlog of computers and devices waiting for examination. By the time computers are examined, it is often too late to follow many of the leads that are produced. Most detectives do not understand computer forensics and what it can accomplish to further their investigations. Many computer forensic examiners do not understand the investigation, causing them to overlook relevant information and expend resources needlessly. These are some of the reasons why attorneys and their clients across the nation turn to when [...]

Today’s Investigative Skills

Unfortunately, some people continue to hold onto old stereotypes. Uninformed members of the general public still envision a private investigator as a trench coat-wearing figure, hiding behind a newspaper in a motel lobby. Of course, more informed members of the community, those who actually stay in touch with the times, know better. They not only know, they deeply respect the fact that many private investigators are amazingly talented researchers. We have many resources at our fingertips. We also have the ability to think fast on our feet. The investigators in this firm are all of those things plus a lot more. Intellectually, we are at the top. At , we take great pride in our skill sets and our track record. Most of the time, [...]

Investigators Save New Business

You might be surprised how many small business owners’ attorneys contact . It’s not just the multi-million dollar enterprises who have to be on guard against corporate espionage and theft by employees. Take this case, for example: When Mitch and his business partners moved from the West Coast to open a second decorative concrete business in the Midwest, they obviously hoped the new venture would be as successful as the first. But none of them were prepared with just how quickly the business grew. Mitch's finishing techniques were unlike any others. The “wow” factor was immediate. Suddenly the new business was the hot topic among many well-known developers and architects. But that instant popularity prompted jealously among competitors. Unidentified concrete businesses seemed to be trying [...]