Evidence Technology - Understanding CyberForensics

Q: "Computer forensics" sounds complicated. What do you do?

A: Computer forensics. Data forensics. Cyberforensics. These are all different ways of describing a new and vital field of digital investigation. Whatever it's called, what we do is find digital evidence. E-mails. Documents. Images. Programs. Whatever it is, if it's there, we find it. We preserve it, using forensically sound techniques to ensure admissibility in the legal system. We analyze it, within the context of your particular situation. Finally, we present it, in an understandable, streamlined fashion. We do all this using state-of-the-art equipment, software, and most importantly, knowledge and rock-solid integrity.

Q: We have our own computer experts. Why do we need you?

A: There is no information on this site more important than that which follows, so please read carefully. The difference between IT (information technology) experts and computer forensic experts is vast, dramatic, and critical. Generic—or even specialized—hardware and software expertise does not translate into the ability to safely examine a computer, or any kind of computer media, for digital evidence. If you allow anyone other than a trained computer forensic examiner to interact with an evidentiary computer in any way whatsoever, it is a virtual certainty that evidence will be compromised. Evidence may be altered, and rendered forever inadmissible in the legal system. Digital evidence can even be destroyed outright by simply turning on the machine.

Until now, digital evidence has faced relatively little scrutiny by comparison to traditional evidence. The end of that era is at hand. Rest assured that competent attorneys will increasingly challenge digital evidence that has been altered in any way, and they are increasingly likely to succeed in having such evidence declared inadmissible by the courts.
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	Q: "Computer forensics" sounds complicated. What do you do? A: Computer forensics. Data forensics. Cyberforensics. These are all different ways of describing a new and vital field of digital investigation. Whatever it's called, what we do is find digital evidence. E-mails. Documents. Images. Programs. Whatever it is, if it's there, we find it. We preserve it, using forensically sound techniques to ensure admissibility in the legal system. We analyze it, within the context of your particular situation. Finally, we present it, in an understandable, streamlined fashion. We do all this using state-of-the-art equipment, software, and most importantly, knowledge and rock-solid integrity. Q: We have our own computer experts. Why do we need you? A: There is no information on this site more important than that which follows, so please read carefully. The difference between IT (information technology) experts and computer forensic experts is vast, dramatic, and critical. Generic—or even specialized—hardware and software expertise does not translate into the ability to safely examine a computer, or any kind of computer media, for digital evidence. If you allow anyone other than a trained computer forensic examiner to interact with an evidentiary computer in any way whatsoever, it is a virtual certainty that evidence will be compromised. Evidence may be altered, and rendered forever inadmissible in the legal system. Digital evidence can even be destroyed outright by simply turning on the machine. Until now, digital evidence has faced relatively little scrutiny by comparison to traditional evidence. The end of that era is at hand. Rest assured that competent attorneys will increasingly challenge digital evidence that has been altered in any way, and they are increasingly likely to succeed in having such evidence declared inadmissible by the courts. More...










		Here's what the U.S. Department of Justice had to say on the issue of digital evidence spoliation, in Electronic Crime Scene Investigation, A Guide For First Respondents: Actions that have the potential to alter, damage, or destroy original evidence may be closely scrutinized by the courts.



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