ESI experts tackle data spoliation and integrity issues
ECMPlus – Integreon has just released a new ‘Seek & Collect’ service, which promises to capture electronically-stored information (ESI) in a forensically-sound manner, the company claims, without the need for physical collection by forensic experts.
According to the firm, the Seek & Collect device, developed by Integreon’s Electronic Evidence Labs, runs automatically when connected to a computer, collecting data for potentially hundreds of client sites.
Integreon’s process determines the critical files needed for preservation and then configure appliances to collect forensically sound, logical copies of those files and their directories, without altering dates or metadata. Seek & Collect also creates unique hash value identifiers for each collected file, using MD5 cryptographic algorithms, and saves the entire dataset into an encrypted archive container for secure transport, and the device is then returned to Integreon via courier.
Integreon said the Seek and Collect methodology for data integrity and chain of custody controls focuses on eliminating data spoliation. Throughout the entire process, Integreon strictly adheres to industry standards for preserving the authenticity and integrity of evidence.
“Our forensics team saw the unmet need in the market for a simple solution that could quickly pull together a defensible set of evidence from multiple locations worldwide without having to send an expert to physically retrieve that data,” said Jeffrey Fehrman, vice president of forensics and consulting at Integreon’s Electronic Evidence Labs. “Seek & Collect accomplishes this while still complying with the complex framework of data privacy laws around the world. Seek & Collect is also field-proven technology. We’ve already shipped over 1,000 devices to our clients in 10 different countries.”
Once ESI is harvested and returned to Integreon, forensic consultants store the data in a secure evidence room within the company’s state-of-the-art Electronic Evidence Labs, a temperature-controlled computer forensics facility with a closed IT network, constant video surveillance, and dual keycard and biometric access controls. The data may then be analysed and processed further as part of Integreon’s other legal service solutions and in accordance with client and case requirements, including maintaining full chain-of-custody at all times.
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