Computer Forensics Consulting LLC, Computer Forensics, Data Recovery, Expert Testimony, Minnesota

Computer Forensics Consulting LLC, Experienced, Trusted

Data Recovery and Computer Forensics Services

For immediate assistance call 952-454-6951

Based in the Twin Cities Metro area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota - (Eden Prairie) Services are available Nationwide

To request Data Recovery or Computer Forensics services call 952-454-6951 or for any questions or to request additional information you may send email to: consulting@computerforensicsconsultingllc.com. If you would like a Color Brochure or a copy of Kevin V. Bluml's CV, you may use the links below. Also available is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) with some typical questions people have - feel free to submit questions to be included in the future - they can be personally answered by email if needed.

Brochure with Forensics Focus

Brochure with Data Recovery Focus

CV of Kevin V. Bluml, EnCE

FAQ - Computer Forensics and Data Recovery

Computer Forensics Consulting LLC is available to perform examinations, data recovery, expert testimony, and training of any agencies, companies or individuals. We specialize in Intellectual Property cases, Recovering deleted data of all types, Email examinations (including recovery of deleted email messages) and Data Recovery. We work with all types of media, hard drives, removable devices (USB/Firewire), CD/DVD, Flash Cards/memory, thumbdrives, etc. We maintain strict chain-of-custody and secure storage of any received media or equipment.

Computer Forensics
The Computer Forensics field is coming of age – the courts are far more accepting of electronic data than they were even just five years ago. Recent Federal Civil discovery rules have helped to firm up what the courts are willing to do when dealing with Electronic Data. (See FRCP Rule 26 – revised 12/1/2006)
Examples of Computer Forensics focus areas:

Recovering deleted data – from simple deletes to involved attempts at hiding/removing data

Even after reformatting a disk and reinstalling the Operating System (OS), much data is still recoverable.

Determining when something happened or didn’t happen – what exactly do all of those times and dates really mean?

Time and date information often needs expert interpretation – too many things can impact what affects the values being presented to take them at face value without expert analysis

Email analysis and recovery – did your client’s critical data just get sent to a competitor?

Some email programs store data in multiple locations, knowing where to look can be critical
Deleted email is recoverable from some applications, not from others
Searching email and attachments can be quite involved and time consuming
Web based email is commonly used in attempts to avoid detection in a corporate environment. Knowing what to look for and where to find it are critical skills

Determining if data just walked out with the departing employee, spouse, or friend.

Removable devices are ubiquitous and ever increasing in capacity. Virtually all of a small business’s important data can be literally in someone’s pocket when they walk out the door.
CDs and DVDs are much easier to use and writers are now common on most computers in use today.

Explaining it all to a judge or jury

This is a unique skill that takes experience, knowledge, time, expertise and creativity to make it understandable.
Something seemingly as simple as the clock on the computer and whether it is or was accurate or had been changed can make or break a case.
What is the significance of the timing of the removable device being attached to the computer (and how do you know it was done) with the times and dates of the critical files?

About the principal, Kevin V. Bluml, EnCE

He has been in the computer industry for over thirty five years. His programming experience ranges from the earliest microprocessors to minicomputers and up to Cray supercomputers. He has designed hardware interfaces and written diagnostic programs for a variety of peripheral devices including disk drives. He has been an investigator for over eighteen years. He has been performing Computer Forensics investigations full time for over ten years. With in excess of 2,000 drive examinations, hundreds of reports and conclusions, and both deposition and court testimony (qualified as an expert in both State and Federal courts), he is eminently qualified to handle your most complicated, sensitive or involved cases.

Kevin V. Bluml - President/Chief Examiner - Computer Forensics Consulting LLC - Eden Prairie, MN
Experienced, Trusted

Data Recovery

There are many reasons to need a data recovery service:

Deleted files
Hardware malfunctions
Errors when trying to boot system
Media or electronic failures
Formatting a device by mistake or when attempting to correct system errors
Damage caused by malware, viruses, software or hardware failures
Electrical failures caused by power problems, surges, lightning, static discharges
Power failures
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) a.k.a. Windows Stop errors
Accidents, floods, fires, and other disasters

Damage caused by physical media or electrical failure may require specialized repair techniques or processes, including access to a special clean room to prevent additional damage to the data.

Data can be recovered from many storage devices besides normal disk drives found in or attached to computers, including but not limited to:

Digital Cameras, Mp3 music players, digital video recorders, small removable devices such as memory sticks, flash drives, other USB or Firewire devices, removable disk drives.

If you inadvertently deleted your prized family photos, there is a good chance they can be recovered if you stop using the computer or device they were stored on right away and get professional help from Computer Forensics Consulting LLC. The same goes for digital audio or video recordings of family events.

Password lost or unknown?

Data can be easily recovered from computers where the logon password is lost or unknown due to circumstances beyond your control. An example of this need would be when there has been a death and no one knows the logon information for a computer that may have important business or family financial information that needs to be retrieved.

A related situation would be a password protected file. Most files can be opened or the password cracked with special software.

Contact Computer Forensics Consulting LLC for help with either of these situations.

Data Destruction or Removal

A related but actually opposite issue to data recovery is data removal or destruction.

If you want to dispose of, donate, sell or in some other way get rid of a device that has data on it, serious thought should be given to data removal or destruction. Simply deleting all the data or even formatting the device will NOT eliminate the data. Special software or procedures need to be used to eliminate the data. If not done properly, data can still remain. If that data contains personal information such as tax or financial information, there is a serious risk of identity theft or other misuse of your data.

Contact Computer Forensics Consulting LLC for help with secure, guaranteed data removal from any digital device.

Need a Computer Forensics examination or Data Recovery services?

Stop using the computer or device!

Shut it down or turn it off to prevent any changes to the data or to help with the recovery. Continued use could make data unrecoverable or severely impact later analysis. Secure device and document the date and time.

If you suspect current activity could be damaging or erasing data - unplug the computer or device immediately. Don't wait for a normal shutdown - it may be too late.

Call Computer Forensics Consulting for help.

EXPERIENCED, TRUSTED

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Computer Forensics Consulting LLC - Data Recovery & Computer Forensics Services

Data Recovery and Digital Evidence Specialists

Computer Forensics

About the principal, Kevin V. Bluml, EnCE