For immediate assistance or to get a price quote, call 952-454-6951 or send a short text message to that number for a call to be made to you. To request Computer Forensics or Data Recovery services call 952-454-6951 or for any questions or to request additional information you may send email to: consulting@computerforensicsconsultingllc.com.
Services are available nationwide. In most instances the relevant data or device can be shipped to our location for review and still be maintained under the proper evidence controls and chain of custody requirements for use in court or other legal proceedings. In cases where the data or device absolutely cannot be removed from the site, our large network of consultants can most likely do the needed imaging or data capture on-site without the need for a large on-site collection fee. In some cases it would be possible to do the needed review remotely, working with the appropriate system administrators to set up the proper credentials to allow remote access in a forensically sound manner.
Use the links below to obtain a Computer Forensics or Data Recovery brochure or a copy of Kevin V. Bluml's curriculum vitae (CV). Also available is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document with typically asked quiestions. Feel free to submit questions to be included in the future. A direct email response to your questions can also be requested.
Forensic computer examinations Data recovery Expert testimony Training of agencies, companies or individuals.
We specialize in:
Intellectual Property cases Recovering all types of deleted data Email examinations (including recovery of deleted email messages) 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 all received media or equipment.
Computer Forensics
The Computer Forensics field has come of age – the courts are far more accepting of electronic data than they were even just five years ago. 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
Mr. Bluml 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 twelve years. With in excess of 2,500 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. Call 952-454-6951
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.
