Computer Forensics Services for Private Investigators

If your client has a computer, it’s likely that the need will arise for computer forensics. The computer has invaded our very existence, become a part of our lives, and is an integral part of almost every criminal investigation.

Computer forensics differs from data recovery, which is recovery of data after an event affecting the physical data, such as a hard drive crash. Computer forensics goes much further. It involves a complete computer examination with analysis as the ultimate goal.

This means not only recovering deleted files (documents, graphics, etc.), but also searching the slack and unallocated space on the hard drive, places where a plethora of evidence regularly resides. Computer forensics involves tracing Windows artifacts — those tidbits of data left behind by the operating system — for clues of what the computer has been used for. More importantly, computer forensics means evaluating the value of the information recovered from a machine.

One of the unique aspects of computer forensic examinations is that they allow the processing of “hidden files.” These are files which are not visible or accessible to the user, but which contain vital past usage information. An examination may also consist of reconstructing and analyzing the date codes for each file and determining when each file was created, last modified, last accessed and deleted.

Computer forensics entails being able to run a string-search for email, when no email client is obvious. An analysis will reveal Internet usage, recover data, and accomplish a full analysis even after the computer has been defragged and/or formatted.

Computer Forensics of Boston provides Private Investigators with a wide variety of computer forensic services, including data acquisition, data recovery and evidence gathering. Our experts employ industry-standard methodology in each investigation, and every examination concludes with a concise written report. We are highly experienced in identifying, recovering, and analyzing digital data to help Private Investigators prove what happened, when it happened, how it happened and who was involved.

Services for Private Investigators Include:

• Recovering deleted email messages, calendar entries, and contact lists and making them usable.
• Lost password recovery and cracking of “locked” files.
• Validating or invalidating documents by utilizing meta data and other document and system data.
• Identifying where relevant data is stored and retrieving it.
• Extracting documents and email from backup tapes.
• Recovering deleted files such as documents, graphics, and photos.
• Searching unallocated space on the hard drive, places where an abundance of data often resides.
• Detecting installation of unauthorized software on company computers.
• Tracing artifacts, those tidbits of data left behind by the operating system.
• Processing hidden files which cannot be seen by a normal user.
• Providing Expert Witness Testimony at depositions and in court. We can assist clients in all aspects of electronic digital evidence acquisition including the search, filtering, and consolidation of data, emails, and files from virtually any type of media such as hard drives, backup tapes, CD-ROM, floppy disks, and Zip disks.

Rest assured that our experts approach all situations as if they could end up in a court of law or other legal proceeding. All Computer Forensics of Boston examinations are compliant with DOJ-recommended standards, and our examiners are experienced in implementing chain of custody procedures during each investigation.

Computer Forensics of Boston’s examiners are skilled at acquiring and delivering data from both hostile and friendly environments. We also provide Emergency Response Team services anywhere; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.