If you are in the process of trying to hire a Mac forensics expert in the Tampa Bay area, then you probably feel slightly overwhelmed with choosing the right one. Hiring a forensics expert in Tampa is not an easy decision and often times it can be hard to distinguish what exactly to look for when hiring an examiner. What qualities should you look for in a good forensics expert? The top qualities to look for in a very good forensics expert are excellent communication skills, critical thinking skills, attention to detail, the proper tools forensic tools and certificates.
Every year Mac devices get increasingly more popular. Every two years there operating system changes. In fact, Mac devices have almost become the new mainstream for personal devices. Despite their popularity, most forensic experts are only familiar with Windows devices. This can be a big problem if you hire the wrong forensic expert to take on a Mac forensics case. Their experience, training and forensics tools may be incapable of understanding the Apple operating system. Mac forensics requires very specific type of training.
Most assume, a digital forensics expert understands how to preserve an Apple computer. The tool necessary to preserve Mac computers are significantly different than the tools used to preserve Windows computers. Most Apple computers no longer have removable hard drives. Few forensic examiners have the training, expertise and tools to properly preserve them such as a forensic write blocker with a Thunderbolt interface. If the preservation is done improperly, the evidence could be unusable or would not stand up in Court.
The need for Mac forensics experts is becoming more common, however, few digital forensics experts have invested in the tools, training and certifications necessary to call themselves an Apple iOS or Mac forensics expert. This is due to the high cost surrounding Apple iOS forensics tools (both training and software) as well as the small return on the investment. Roughly 95% of the forensics tools on the market are only focused on the analysis of Windows. In the same 95% of most forensic cases involve Windows computers. This is an issue because if Windows based tools are used in the analysis of Apple computers, a significant amount of data will be overlooked. Some Windows based tools can be used to analyze Mac computers manually, however this often translates to increased cost to the client. Our company has invested in forensic tools that are not only designed to analyze Mac data, but do so in a very fast and efficient manner. This reduced analysis time, saves our client’s money.
Data Specialist Group, has Mac Forensics Experts who regularly handle Mac Forensics cases. We have invested in specialized tools that are capable of preserving, analyzing and interpreting the Apple iOS operating system. In addition we have a consultant on staff with ten years’ experience as a Mac Genius.
Prior to hiring a Mac forensics expert in Tampa Bay, request a copy of their curriculum vitae. Look to see that they have training and certifications in the Apple iOS operating system, Mac Forensics, iPhone Forensics, and training in forensic tools designed for Mac forensics. There is nothing more important than knowing that you are hiring a forensics expert that has all the right qualifications for your case.
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Forensic data preservation (also referred to as data retention or data collection) is the process of creating a forensically sound image of a computer hard drive or other media that stores information electronically. We use the Tableau TD1 and TD2 to create Encase E01 images. This specialized hardware protects the original data from being written to. These tools are among the fastest data collection tools in the industry. This reduces your data collection cost. These tools allow us to produce two copies of each source drive at one time. The primary image is stored in our vault and the other is used for analysis.
Operating systems and applications store information in a number of places and formats. Our computer forensics experts parse, analyze, and interpret those digital artifacts. The digital artifacts required to prosecute or defend your matter are often validated by their metadata. Text messages, images and deleted information may be stored in various locations and sometimes intentionally hidden by the user. Our seasoned computer forensics experts have the experience to locate these files physically and digitally.
The world has gone digital as well as mobile. Corporate environments may store user data on local servers as well as internet servers (cloud storage). Our computer forensics experts are often engaged to investigate theft of work product. Their analysis is vital in uncovering how the user handled or moved the data from system to system. In addition to online data storage, digital artifacts are often found on removable media, gaming systems, smartphones, and tablet computers. All forensic data should be preserved if not analyzed.
Theft of intellectual property | Formulating a preservation request | Compliance with preservation request | Theft of work product investigations | Employee abuse of company property and resources | Sexual harassment complaints | Infidelity Investigations | Missing Children | Fraud | Divorce | Acquisitions and Data Collection | Website and Social Media Investigations (FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.) | Assistance with Human Resources | Internal and external Investigations | Cyber Investigations
