The field of digital forensics encompasses the identification, preservation, and documentation of evidence derived from digital devices in ways that make the proof permissible in a court of law. Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science involving specific techniques and tools developed to handle digital evidence for legal purposes. The highly specialized discipline of digital forensics seeks to deliver proof of digital assets from laptops, computers, mobile devices, and other technology platforms often seized at the beginning of a criminal investigation.
When Your Company May Benefit From Digital Forensics
In general, the field of digital forensics exists to provide evidence in legal proceedings. Deciding whether or not to pursue legal action if your company is a data breach or cyberattack victim may be tricky. You'll need to consider risks and drawbacks and determine your priorities.
However, in such an event, it may be advantageous to have a private investigator take forensically sound evidence in case you need it in future litigations. While cybercrime is a difficult legal pursuit, as a company, you may need to use digital forensics to protect your assets for other reasons such as employee theft.
Using Digital Forensics In Intellectual Theft
Companies experience a myriad of circumstances where collecting digital evidence through a forensic investigation is beneficial. Intellectual property theft, suspicious or illicit employee activity, or insider threats are some of the main reasons your company may need to conduct a digital forensic investigation. Perhaps you know that a perpetrator or a former partner or vendor has committed theft against your business. In these cases, gathering as much evidence as possible is in your best interest.
How To Conduct Digital Forensics In Virginia
In many cases, your cybersecurity contractor may require you to have professional digital forensics to conduct investigations; if you use a cybersecurity company that provides digital forensic investigations, you might let them handle your concern. In other cases, you can hire a private investigator licensed by the state of Virginia to perform the digital forensic investigation of your complaint. Retaining a private investigator is typically recommended rather than handling the problem internally.
An experiencedprivate investigator can assist your company with gathering facts, logging evidence, and providing the evidence needed to decide how to proceed. Whether used in a court of law or a firing proceeding, having evidence from a digital forensic investigation is beneficial to your company.