Digital Forensics Experts

Digital Forensics

Response and Investigation

Digital Forensics Use Cases

Digital forensics services are a powerful tool that can help resolve criminal investigations and civil matters. LCG stands out with over 128+ years of combined leadership and investigative experience. The leadership team is not only proven in all of their specific specialties but vetted within the forensics/cyber risk community. Our analysts and experts use the latest tools and technology to recover electronic data from mobile devices, computers, networks, and cloud accounts, analyze it quickly, and then document it internally or for litigation/ evidence in court.

Specifically, LCG digital forensics experts can identify, preserve, examine and analyze any electronic evidence or investigative trail through scientifically accepted and widely acknowledged procedures using methods admissible in a court of law. Our expertise encompasses not only criminal cases involving law violations and law enforcement parties but also civil cases aiming to protect the rights and property of individuals and corporations.

Digital forensics is essential in the civil and criminal justice systems because it can help locate, validate and confirm the truth of any digital evidence. However, its applications are multifaceted. Businesses and industries have a complex system of networks to prevent the breach of their information trading and so do everyday people who are surrounded by devices that can collect digital evidence, such as cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, laptops, and even motor vehicle information systems. Yet even as robust as these various systems and the technology used to investigate them, the real value is in the experience of the expert working with you.

LCG: We Protect, And We Guide Where We Could Benefit You

LCG is a leader in Digital Forensics, and our team of digital forensics investigators can help you safeguard your interests and Intellectual Property (IP) in several areas. Some examples are:

RInsider Data Theft involving illegally obtaining corporate, private, personal, financial, and other information
RCybercrime, Voter tampering, civil disputes, arson and fire, evidence destruction.
RBusiness espionage means espionage done to get commercial or financial information from a competitor
RAn asset search can be essential for finding asset owners or asset history through public and private records
RWorkplace death or serious injury, wrongful death claims, sexual harrassment / misconduct
RFinancial cases in which data recovery and forensic analysis can be of cardinal importance
RCrimes against persons/children
RData retrieval/analysis
RFraud, including insurance fraud
RAnd much more… if it stores data of potential importance, LCG can forensically recover it, analyze it and present it in a clear and concise manner that reveals the truth.

FAQ

What is the golden rule of forensics?

When dealing with a live crime scene, criminal investigators know better than to touch, move, change, or transfer any object found in the scene until it is photographed, marked, and documented. Similarly, in digital forensics, the same rules apply. Only this time, the “scene,” does not always refer to actual tangible objects but digital evidence and data data which, whenever possible, should not be altered and remain in its original, unaltered state.

What is the process of digital forensics?

As in all sciences, digital forensics follows a preset process that includes 5 separate phases: 1) Identification, 2) Preservation, 3) Analysis, 4) Documentation and, 5) Presentation. Identification of types of data to deal with and how to approach those data points. Preservation of the identified data points in a manner that is accepted and validated. Analysis which includes the processing of data (selection of appropriate tools) and the interpretation of results/findings. Documentation includes a written record of steps taken and the drafting of findings. Presentation is the final phase that includes the summarizing and explanation of findings and conclusions. Most importantly, all 5 phases must be performed under the strictest Chain of Custody so that no phase, or portion thereof, can be called into question.

Where can digital evidence be found?

In short, digital evidence can be found almost everywhere. Recoverable data is stored e in almost ANY electronic device and, in the right circumstances, can be extracted and examined. Appliances, including prominent locations such as computer hard drives, cell phones, and smartwatches, exist in online sources, including social media or cloud computing/storage, and in much more intimate locations such as home security systems internet-enabled appliances, vehicles, etc. LCG’s experts are trained in extracting and analyzing digital evidence no matter where it resides.

Advanced Computer Forensics Services

Hire An Computer Forensics Investigator

Computer and digital forensics sits at the intersection of science and technology and leverages experience, skill, and investigative techniques to identify and analyze evidence found in computers, digital storage media, and elsewhere. LCG boasts digital forensics experts with unparalleled experience, knowledge, and skills to examine any computer-related evidence.

The field of computer forensics is rapidly evolving thanks to the immersion of technology in our daily lives. The goal for those in this profession, at any given time – whether examining an old hard drive or working on something as recent as Apple’s newest operating system, is to extract data from any digital storage device or medium in a forensically sound manner and perform state-of-the-art forensic analyses of that data. LCG provides top-notch expertise in all of the following fields:

Digital Forensics Services – Analysis Done Right

With our experience and expertise, we can provide you with reliable computer forensics services. You can trust our computer and digital forensics experts with the following forensics services:

Forensic preservation

our team is highly skilled in the forensic preservation of all sources of digital evidence. This is a pivotal stage to ensure evidence is not mishandled at the risk of being altered and will ensure accurate and defensible analysis at a later stage. This process also includes proper/documented handling under a full and defensible chain of custody of all evidence from inception to final disposition.

On-site acquisitions

our computer forensic specialists can travel to your location when needed and create forensically verified copies of digital data sources in a forensically sound manner.

Computer Forensics Examination

our team of computer forensics investigators can conduct a thorough forensic examination of any digital evidence once collected and preserved.

Expert Consulting

once the forensic examination is complete and you have all available information, our experts will consult with you regarding the issues you are facing to help you find the most cost effective/efficient path to achieving your goals. LCG can, and frequently does, utilize an “internal firewall” between the analysts and testifying expert to afford you the benefit of utilizing an additional expert as a “Consulting Expert” who’s advice and communication is protected and not discoverable in litigation.

Detailed Forensic/Expert Reports

LCG provides the most meticulous documentation in which all information regarding data points, recovered information and analyses are conducted following a scientifically sound process. Depending on the needs of our clients, these reports may also include expert opinions to assist you in making your case. Our experts have each written hundreds of expert reports in both criminal and civil matters. Only law enforcement agencies employ as many individuals with this level of experience drafting expert reports!

Expert Witness Testimony

Our digital forensics team consists of forensic experts with local, state and federal testimony experience and can provide expert testimony in the form of written documents (e.g. affidavits, declarations) and sworn verbal testimony to assist the judge or jury in rendering a just verdict.

Remote Acquisitions

It is not always the case that a computer forensics investigator has the ability to be on site. LCG has developed techniques and tactics to conduct forensically sound remote acquisitions of various data sources to limit disruption of your business and engage in more discreet collection if/when required.

Deleted Data Recovery

LCG utilizes state of the art forensic hardware and software to identify and recover data that had been “deleted” by the user. Whether our client is an individual who accidentally deleted their important work folder or an attorney looking to prove intentional spoliation of evidence, our experts can skillfully recover data that was once “lost.”

Secure Forensic destruction

Secure Forensic destruction is a conclusive computer forensics service that we provide whereby we permanently and irrevocably delete all data so that it cannot be recovered or retrieved in any form.

LCG’s Computer Forensics

Our team of computer forensics investigators and experts has over 100 years of experience conducting criminal and civil investigations involving technology. Our methods and tools are thoroughly tested before being applied to yield a comprehensible identification and presentation of data to you or any other party involved in each case, such as law enforcement, judge, or jury.

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FAQ

Is computer forensics and digital forensics the same?

Computer forensics and digital forensics are frequently used as interchangeable terms to mean the same thing: an investigation or analysis of data contained within computer and other data storage devices or locations. .

How much do computer forensic investigations typically cost?

The cost of computer forensics services can range in pricing and rates. Naturally, this type of service covers various tasks, and pricing is estimated according to the volume of work, hours required, tools utilized, etc. . Further, the task’s level of complexity can also influence the overall cost. It is the job of the forensics company, however, to work closely with the client to ensure focus efforts to ensure they are as efficient as possible to avoid runaway costs and “scope creep.”

What does a computer forensic specialist do?

A computer forensic specialist is responsible for recovering data from any device or other data storage medium and conducting a variety of analyses across that data with the goal of answering questions, identifying evidence, etc. This is not done arbitrarily; a rigid chain of custody needs to be followed so that any digital evidence retrieved is admissible in court if ultimately required.

Theft of Intellectual Property- IP Theft Forensics

Intellectual property is a term associated with any type of information, e.g., financial, trade secrets, internal policies, pricing/marketing materials, client lists, confidential product patents, etc. In short, this is the information that gives a business its competitive advantage. Multiple assessments by esteemed organizations, including the Wall Street Journal, place most companies Intellectual Property at 70% of its overall value. Naturally, this information is of critical importance and needs to be protected at all times; if a competitor is able to gain access to this sensitive information, the consequences could be immensely damaging. IP/Trade Secret theft is common when employees leave a business to work for a rival company or start their own competing business.

Recover from Intellectual Property/Trade Secret Theft

Our LCG team of multi-disciplinary computer forensic experts is often assigned tasks relevant to IP/Trade Secret theft by companies who have found themselves in this impossible position. LCG has developed efficient techniques to quickly identify if a current or former employee has taken or has attempted to take your most valuable assets Our skilled analysts can assist you with cases of suspected intellectual property theft, contract breaches/disputes, internal investigations, employment disputes, etc.. We take pride in working within a strict time frame to meet our client’s requirements at all times by carrying out efficient, cost effective and targeted forensic analyses to find the answers to the questions you have.

Examples of Intellectual Property Theft and Trade Secret Misappropriation

Generally, IP/Trade Secret theft tends to be underreported with the exception of mandated reporting situations that are made public such as when there has been a loss of sensitive medical or financial information. Unfortunately, as LCG has learned over the past 15 years, theft of intellectual property is much more common than most companies believe.. Whether the result of a disgruntled former employee intentionally stealing your intellectual property/trade secrets or the result of improper handling that leads to a lost drive or laptop, loss of data is occurring at a staggering rate. The following examples can provide a clearer picture of what IP theft can look like:

REmployees leaving for another company and taking intellectual property or trade secrets to give themselves an advantage with a new employer.
RInsiders transporting or mishandling company data via USB flash drives, company email, cloud storage or other devices.
RBreaches of company networks resulting in the loss of company information

IP Theft Prevention Best Practices

IP theft can lead a company to disaster however, there are steps you can take to prevent IP theft:

RIdentify your most valuable electronic data, where it is stored, and who has access
RConduct frequent reviews of your internal computers, systems and networks to identify any gaps or malfunctions that could result in allowing someone inadvertent access/ability to remove data
RDevelop and deploy strong technology resource policies that clearly outline what employees can and cannot do (e.g. BYOD, use of personal email, use of the Internet, etc.).
RMonitor employee activity and ensure that all users work securely within your company’s network.
REducate all personnel in basic areas of cybersecurity (e.g. Phishing) and use of computer systems (e.g. proper use and control of storage devices) to prevent inadvertent IP leaks.

LCG’s experts have a long history of building solid Corporate Policies and Procedures that cover each of these areas and much more.

Theft Of Intellectual Property Ip Theft Forensics

FAQ

What is an IP Theft/Trade Secret Misappropriation Investigation?

LCG’s team of computer forensic experts frequently carries out meticulous IP/Trade Secret investigations to meet client requirements. These forensic examinations can encompass internal/external theft of intellectual property and violation of contracts (e.g. non-competition, non-solicitation).

What constitutes intellectual property infringement?

IP infringement refers to the breach and abuse of IP rights. For example, using an existing company’s name or producing the same patented product. IP infringement can also encompass copyright violations, counterfeiting, patent breaches, and sensitive information theft.

How do you monitor intellectual property infringement?

When dealing with intellectual property assets, you can do the following to monitor and protect your sensitive electronic data:

Ensure you have effective, enforceable and acknowledged company policies, guidelines and/or handbooks as it relates to the use of technology resources. What is and is not allowed and setting the appropriate privacy expectations.
Inform those accessing your technology resources/network that all activities will be monitored and recorded.
Invest in both information technology and cybersecurity support to protect your technology infrastructure.
Understand what your critical intellectual property is, where it is located, how it can be accessed and by who.

Be cognizant of disgruntled employees and develop systems for data preservation and analysis if/when employees who have access to your IP depart under questionable circumstances. LCG’s experts have a long history of building solid Corporate Policies and Procedures that cover each of these steps and much more.

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Departing Employees

Protect Trade Secrets and Confidential Information from Departing Employees

Most LCG business and referrals have revolved around employee/internal data theft in the past decade. This has increased in the post-covid era, where the modern workforce is more mobile than ever before, but in their actual employment as remote employees and the frequency with which individuals are changing employers/careers. The transient nature of today’s employment has morphed into an environment where departing employees are increasingly likely to leave with some company secrets in their possession, either intentionally or unintentionally. In either scenario, your most valuable asset could be walking out the door and outside your control span. This current fact of business has led companies to think about how best to protect their assets from such mobility.

Step 1- Define Trade Secrets and Confidential Information

Trade secrets are are perhaps a the most vital part of any company’s success.

“Trade secret” is defined under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as: “Information, including but not limited to, technical or non-technical data, a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, drawing, process, financial data, or list of actual or potential customers or suppliers, that:

is sufficiently secret to derive economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and
is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy or confidentiality.”

Confidential Information is typically identified through contracts and/or agreements. These may include employment agreements, professional services agreements, non-disclosure agreements, etc. These binding documents define the scope of what is protectable as well as the consequences of misuse of the information. Confidential information is typically information that is not generally known to the public, however, companies have a responsibility to define what it believes to be both trade secrets and confidential information.

Step 2- Document Restrictions on Access to, Use, and Dissemination of Trade Secrets and Confidential Information

The most crucial first step towards protecting your company’s best interest and maintaining its competitive edge is to have solid policies to regulate access to and use of confidential information. Knowing who can access such digital data gives you a heads-up when that person leaves the company.

Having detailed and thought-out policies for such sensitive digital data also means documenting who accesses what. Simply knowing that an employee can enter your database generally is not the way to prevent theft and leak of sensitive information.

FAQ

What employee information is considered confidential?

Personal employee information includes -but is not limited to- any information on the individual such as names, addresses, any contact information, demographic data, medical information, terms of employment, credentials, payroll and benefits, previous employment information, and personal information such as religion, sexual orientation, gender, and nationality.

How long after the employment has ended is the employee required to keep the information confidential?

Throughout the employee’s contract with the company, they must upkeep the contract terms vis-a-vis confidentiality of certain information. This is regulated by contract and company policies and has legal implications if not upheld. Similarly, employees who disclose trade secrets will find themselves liable to law enforcement for breaking state and/or federal law. However, once the employment is terminated, the confidentiality of this information falls under the implied duty of fidelity, or it is still under contract if there is a clause regulating confidentiality once the employer leaves the company.

Can employees disclose confidential information?

As a general rule, employees must not disclose confidential information to a third party during their employment (and after leaving). However, when required by law in cases of criminal activity, employees act upon their civic duty and can disclose such information.

LCG’s experts have a long history of building solid Corporate Policies and Procedures that will help protect your Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets.

Corporate Investigations: We Investigate Theft, Embezzlement, Competitors, and More

Content Evidence/ Process Auditing

LCG’s team has engaged in extensive physical and digital evidence collection for civil matters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

This civil experience, combined with our decades of criminal evidence collection, has led to procedures and methods designed with the most stringent chain of custody methodology, documentation, and tracking, which is universally defensible in court.

Evidence in Action

Our investigators use tried and true, court-tested evidence collection methodologies in the defensible gathering of physical and digital evidence. Further, our experts utilize state-of-the-art technology for forensic imaging, processing, and analysis of digital evidence.

LCG utilizes multiple secure locations to store all evidentiary items and deploys physical and electronic security to protect the confidential information entrusted to us.

Types of Evidence

In LCG, our computer forensics technicians can work with any storage device, so you do not need to worry if you are locked out of your personal computer and accounts by hackers. Some devices include personal computers, laptop computers, cloud acquisitions, server shares, physical evidence, thumb drives, cell phones and tablets, external storage devices, NAS devices, hard drives (HDD & SSD), voter records, and voter documents.

FAQ

What are the six methods of investigation?

In LCG, our forensic specialists conduct meticulous forensic investigations following a six-step approach. First is the immediate incident response to preserve whatever electronic data may be perishable or liable to loss. Next is to plan the forensic investigation in a systematic and scientifically sound manner. Steps 3 and 4 require forensic technicians to collect and preserve digital data and proceed with forensic analysis. The final two steps involve any actions to correct wrongdoings -if possible- and reporting findings to clients.

What is the first step of any digital investigation?

Any forensic investigation begins with one crucial step -finding digital evidence from any device such as computers, cell phones, cloud applications, USB drives, hard discs, and any other possible data storage medium and storing it safely in an external drive.

What is a corporate compliance investigation?

Compliance policies are cardinal when it comes to risk management in a business. Our LCG forensic analysts work closely with our clients to ensure that custom compliance policies effectively prevent risks. They also assist in crisis management and forensic investigations within the company’s employees to manage liability arising from corporate compliance mishaps.

Digital Investigations Corporate Investigations Lcg Discovery

Corporate Investigation Services

Background Investigations

Know who is about to work in your company. Our team of forensics investigators can run background checks on candidate employees, including pre-employment screening and social media checks, and let you know beforehand if something comes up as a red flag that may later put your company’s secrets and well-being at risk.

Competitive Intelligence

Competitive intelligence is any information that can be gathered, analyzed, and used collected on rival companies, clients, and other market variables. This information can be used to boost a company’s competitive edge and generally have a global understanding of the market share of a particular product/service.

Due Diligence

Due diligence refers to any investigation or review conducted to confirm facts before an investment, potential hiring, production, etc. It is a systematic way to check before proceeding with a future business transaction thoroughly.

White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes refer to any type of non-violent criminal activity committed for financial gain. These acts involve deceit, fraud, embezzlement, concealment, and information theft, and they aim at a company’s financial damage or property loss for personal or business gains.

Insurance Fraud Crimes

Insurance fraud is a more than common offense costing consumers a humongous amount annually. Insurance fraud refers to false claims filed in an insurance company by companies or individuals to get compensation for losses they have not sustained.

Employment Screening

When hiring an employee, the company can only be aware of the information this employee submits before hiring. However, crucial information -that may be harmful to the company later- about an employee’s prior employment may assist in the hiring decision to either avert it or proceed with it.

Corporate Ransomware Investigations

It is, unfortunately, a rather common phenomenon for a company or individual to be hit by a ransomware attack. In such cases, files are locked, applications are not corresponding, and we have to deal with the disruption of business as usual.

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Mobile Forensics

Mobile Device Forensics Services

Smartphones are becoming more and more powerful, capable of doing tasks that would have required an entire computer just a few years ago. Developers ignore cross-platform development for phones entirely because they only develop apps specifically tailored toward mobile devices, which means you need to use your phone exclusively while at work or when it isn’t constantly attached wirelessly via BlueTooth.

Our team of forensic analysts experts is certified and highly experienced in mobile device forensics. They possess the technology and access to state-of-the-art forensic hardware & software that can provide comprehensive consultation for your case, so you get a better outcome than expected.

Cell Phone Forensics Experts

In digital forensics Houston, our team of computer forensics analysts uses high-end tools to examine and recover electronic evidence that law enforcement agencies or the court may require. Further, they can determine whether you have been the victim of data theft or other types of policy and/or contract breaches and violations. A great part of their forensic investigation also focuses on identifying any imagery/visual material stolen from your cell phone that may be later used for illegal purposes such as extortion. Among others, a frequent request regards data recovery from stolen or lost phones via cloud computing and digital forensics.

Mobile Forensics Services Mobile Device Forensics Lcg Discovery

FAQ

What types of evidence can be extracted from a mobile device?

The digital forensic analysts in LCG can help with the extraction of several types of electronic evidence such as contacts, visual media like photos and videos, calendars, notes, messages, passcodes for banking applications, location information, and other passwords for different types of application, email accounts, social media accounts, etc.

How long does it take to do forensics on a phone?

This question cannot necessarily have a straightforward answer. The forensic analysis of a phone depends on many factors, some of which have to do with the type of phone (how old or new it is, what condition it is in, and so on) and with the data that needs to be retrieved. The bigger the data volume (images and videos are a huge bulk on our phones), the more time it requires to be retrieved. As a rule of thumb, 24 hours is a well-estimated average time for digital forensics analysis.

How much does cell phone forensics cost?

The cost is another issue that does not have a straightforward answer, but it depends on how much work will be put into data recovery from your phone and how many computer forensics technicians will be required for your project. It also depends on what digital data needs to be restored.

Mobile device Forensic Examination Process

By mobile device, we refer to a wide range of gadgets such as cell phones, smartphones, and tablets, all the way to wearables and GPS units. They all contain sensitive user information and other electronic data we would never want to be known or stolen.

In digital forensics Houston, a great part of our computer forensics specialists is to deal with mobile forensics. Our computer forensic analysts aim to recover digital evidence or any electronic data from a mobile device by following these steps:

RObtain and examine a device and preserve it in a workable condition
RCollect and preserve data, either from the device or via cloud applications
RConduct forensic examination and analysis

Choose LCG Discovery Experts

Your Data Matters

LCG computer and digital forensics company provide honest advice, excellent customer service, and winning solutions based on experience.

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