The who, what, where of eDiscovery

Electronic forensic investigation or eDiscovery is a process in which a large amount of information has to be searched, sorted and presented in a short period of time according to the requirements of a particular authority. It is important that the investigation is carried out in a responsible and transparent manner so that all stakeholders can use the results of the forensic investigation.

Within the eDiscovery process, it is possible to apply so-called triage. With triage, only the really relevant data is selected, which reduces the amount of data to be investigated. This way, investigations can be carried out in a more focused way and cases can be solved more quickly.

Take the example where a digital detective/investigator is involved in a fraud or criminal investigation. Several e-mails, digital documents and computers are seized in the investigation. These may contain complex (hidden) code words that are used to mask fraud. Through a focused search with the right eDiscovery tools, this relevant information can be retrieved faster and with less manpower.

What is required?
Carrying out a good electronic forensic investigation requires the right tools and knowledge. It is important that the chain of custody and chain of evidence are maintained. The chain of custody describes all persons who have been in contact with the material or evidence at any time during the investigation process. The chain of evidence provides insight into where the material has been and what has happened to it. These two chains show how the material or resource led to the final investigation results. In order to ensure that the correct evidence can be provided in a court case, eDiscovery therefore uses digital forensic copies of hardware. Examples of forensic equipment suitable for making this type of copy include Falcon-NEO from Logicube and the Tableau TX1 from OpenText. Mobile phones that are eligible for investigation are also regularly found. The tools of Oxygen, MSAB and Cellebrite are very suitable for this purpose.

DataExpert Investigations
Within DataExpert, we have the right knowledge and materials to carry out eDiscovery investigations to support and unburden our clients. The team of forensic experts works quickly, accurately, forensically sound and within a dedicated secure environment. Curious about what the experts of DataExpert Investigations can do for you? Then please contact us.