Combatting Computer Fraud

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Computer forensics plus good old investigation techniques.

Simon Steggles investigator of cyber crime at DiskLabsDisklabs have built up an awesome reputation for being the go-to technical gurus who can uncover evidence stored (or hidden) on a wide range of digital devices.  While it is true that Disklabs has deep expertise in the forensic extraction, analysis and presentation of data held on electronic devices, that’s only half the story.

The company also provides a much wider investigatory service.  One that combines high-tech with a methodical, no stone unturned approach that you would normally expect from law-enforcement agencies.

Simon Steggles, one of Disklabs Directors, explains:

“Our experience of supporting police forces in criminal prosecution cases means that we understand the need for rigorous processes and the highest standards of evidence gathering.  We have been able to apply this model in other circumstances such as fraud cases, potential misuse of company data or HR disputes. “

The raw material of a Disklabs investigation may be data contained in emails, stored on servers or sent via mobile networks but there are real people involved; perpetrators, accomplices and victims. There are often a wide range of legal and, sometimes, political stakeholders too.  The challenge for the company is to tie all of the elements together to understand who has committed an offence, how crimes have been committed, to recover money and to enable the justice system to do its work.

Disklabs have recently been involved in an international fraud case which has meant operating across multiple jurisdictions.  Apart from the obvious logistical considerations it also means that the investigatory team has had to operate within a variety of legal rules and standards.

digital forensics fighting cyber crimeSimon highlights what this means in practice:

“The first task is to understand where any crime committed will subsequently be prosecuted.  As you can imagine this has an immediate impact in terms of language and legal code. Some countries are more diligent than others in pursuing fraud and that will determine how much co-operation we will get.

We are also leveraging the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) money laundering standards in our investigation and reporting activities.  This provides a co-operative structure for us to work with in-country law enforcement agencies and maximises the admissibility of the evidence we gather.”

This case involved a wide range of elements. The fraud utilised technology in the form of emails and computer viruses but there are suspicions of insider dealing, IP theft and manual points of compromise too.  That’s why Simon and his team have conducted so many face-to-face interviews and procedural reviews, in addition to using sophisticated tools to check out terabytes of data and study a range of hardware.

“We have the skills, experience and facilities to bring old and new approaches together,” says Simon. “Inspector Morse meets CSI perhaps?”

To discover how Disklabs can support your investigation call +44(0)1827 50000 today or use our contact form.

 

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