Use these 3 pointers to fly through your first computer forensic interview

Have you always wanted to work in computer forensics and now finally you’ve been invited to an interview. But how should you prepare? Well, the first thing to do is to get the interview into perspective and develop the right mindset.

Computer forensic job interviews take all sorts of different formats, with some being very technical while others are a mix of technical skills, competencies and personality.

Here are 3 pointers to help you fly through your interview:

1. Technical Questions

The technical level you need to demonstrate differs depending on the job and organisation. Just make sure you do all the obvious things beforehand, like researching the mentioned areas in the job description, reading forums, etc.

The golden rule here is to not try and bluff your way through when you don’t know the answer. If you are not technically strong enough for a role, there really is nothing you can do about it on the day.

2. Competencies

Most interviewers will focus their questions around the following competencies: Interpersonal skills, problem solving and decision making, planning and organizing, information handling and analysis, written/oral communication skills and team working.

The best thing to do is to prepare two/three examples of each before the interview. This preparation should avoid you having to desperately think of new examples under pressure on the day.

3. Personality

Always remember, if the interviewer doesn’t like you then it is very unlikely that you will be successful. When answering technical questions it can be easy to become almost robotic with your answers and that often leads to people failing in computer forensic interviews because they don’t allow their personality to come through.

If you don’t land the computer forensic job you were hoping for, it really isn’t the end of the world. So learn from experience and make sure to use these 3 pointers to land the job you’ve dreamed of!

Prepare well, be yourself and good luck!

DLA (cellular and computer based forensics) is based in Cape Town and combines the professional skills of two investigators with the latest technologies to get you the digital evidence that you need - Contact us today and let us follow the electronic trail for you.

Cracking the case with digital forensics

In the world of law enforcement, digital forensics is a game changer nearly as important as DNA testing.

When two 13 year old girls went missing in September 2014, the first place detectives looked for clues was on their iPods, smartphones and other digital devices. The digital evidence led them to the girls and they were found in the basement of 23 year old Casey Lee Chinn. He is now being charged with felony criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and solicitation of a child.

Digital forensics – the examination of cellphones, tablets and personal electronics in criminal investigations – is dramatically changing the way cases are worked and solved. While technology has created new portals for predators searching for victims, it is also leaving telltale trails for police.

Law enforcement say that digital forensics has become an investigation imperative. With majority of adults carrying a cellphone, the devices have become the one constant in many people’s lives. Your cellphone has become everything you need throughout the day – your alarm clock, camera, phone line, email, social media terminal and so much more. Police use that almost constant phone activity to verify a suspects or witness’ statement and provide a log of a person’s movements and activities. Smartphones can even be an eyewitness by recording a crime in progress.

Electronic devices are just a treasure trove of information. The digital evidence is one of the first thing investigators look at because they leave footprints all over the place – who you were talking with, where you’ve take your photos and even who you’ve been tweeting.

It’s true; technology leaves a telltale trail for law enforcement and digital forensic investigators.

DLA is based in Cape Town and combines the experience of two seasoned investigators with both criminal and civil backgrounds with the latest technologies to achieve the digital evidence that you require.

Using cellular forensics for internet infidelity and divorce

In today’s world a cellular device has just about replaced the computer. Today, billions of mobile devices are in use worldwide. The growth for cell phones and the growing number of PC-like features being incorporated into their design are fueling the theory that the cellphone will soon become the new laptop.

In any internet infidelity or divorce case, it is very important to review the information contained on the guilty party’s mobile phone, as long as the consent to search is present. Often times when a computer is shared in the home, the cell phone becomes the mechanism of the affair.

Some of the data that can be recovered from a cellular device is:

- Call logs (date, time, phone number, duration of calls)

- SMSs

- WhatsApp messages

- Calendar entries

- Photos 

- Videos

- Emails

- Phone details

- SIM card data

Feel free to contact us at DLA digital and cellular forensics for any further information or assistance on cellular forensics!

What is Forensic Data Recovery?

Forensic data recovery is not magic; in fact it is actually very technical. People always wonder how the forensic experts can conjure up stuff from smartphones, tablets or hard drives that the owners thought were gone. So, how does forensics data recovery work?

Sometimes forensic data recovery is as simple as trying to reconstruct the information on a damaged hard drive, disc or memory card. At other times, it may include the resurrection of data that was thought to be lost or deleted, the bypassing of security systems or the study of a smartphone for traces of certain activity.

Because specialists in forensic data recovery may be working with computers which have been seeded with safety measures to prevent legal investigations, they must use special procedures to avoid compromising or erasing data.

Forensic data recovery is not magic at all. It is highly sophisticated and in order to be admissible in court, must be completed by professionals using complex tools and protocols.

DLA digital and cellular forensics can find the data that you need! DLA knows forensics inside and out, so if you need a professional when it comes to any forensic data recovery - Contact DLA now!  

Your video may prove guilt to you, but not in court

Because of the constant flood of easily accessible technology, security cameras seem to be more plentiful than ever before…

- Many private residences now install security cameras around the exterior of their property.

- Business owners install cameras in work areas and entrances.

- Parents with children often install surveillance equipment to keep tabs on the safety of their children with caregivers.

Those constantly rolling cameras can often hold people accountable for bad behaviour. In the event of videotaping a suspected criminal, people have a false security about their video skills. You might assume that you don’t need the services of professionals like DLA digital and cellular forensic investigators, after all, you can do it yourself, right? You will change your mind after you read what goes into providing video evidence for court…

- When you review a video to make sure you have clearly caught a crime on tape, don’t just immediately decide that dark footage is useless. Actually, dark footage is easier to enhance than overexposed footage.

- Immediately confiscate the equipment used for the video. If the event was recorded through the use of a camera phone, home camcorder or a security camera, immediately turn this equipment and video over to the proper authorities.

- Quickly make a decision about how you wish to allow the footage to be rewound and repeated. In a court trial, jurors may not be as shocked by a crime caught on video if they repeatedly view it.

- If at all possible, involve a video expert experience in evidence handling to be involved with the set-up and operation of the equipment. This person is not only easily accessible for computer glitches. But also, the presence of a legal video expert gives you credibility.

In order for video evidence to be admissible in court, it must comply with the proper recording and preservation guidelines. You might know you have evidence, but you might not be able to use it like you think.

If these important tips have made you question whether you are capable of producing the required evidence of wrongdoing or to prove innocence, it’s time to call the professionals at DLA! 

Mobile Phone Analysis

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly powerful and popular, with people even sometimes carrying more than one. However, their increasing capability provides more opportunity to store and circulate information.

Mobile devices have many different features, like the ability to take photos and videos. When a multimedia file is taken, many devices automatically embed GPS location of the handset at that time. This then allows the location of the user at that exact moment to be established at a later date.

Multiple communication features, such as Bluetooth, WiFi 3G and 4G enable the transfer of information that can even cross international boundaries. Users can browse the internet, send and receive emails, post blogs and even removable media cards can be inserted into the device allowing information to be exchanged.

Depending on the client, the following information can be recovered from a mobile phone:

- SMS
- Email
- Call history
- Photos
- Videos
- WhatsApp history
- Passwords

Mobile devices are similar to computers, but with far more powerful capabilities. The value of the evidence found on a smartphone or any other mobile device must never be overlooked! DLA has the cellular and digital expertise to extract and uncover the evidence you need.

The other side of mobile forensics

Mobile or cellular forensics isn’t just about finding WhatsApp messages, images and recent calls; it can also reveal much more. There’s a whole other side to it, which can include carrier data, call logs, undelivered messages and important data that reveals your exact location at the time of the incident. Matched together with the information saved to your mobile device, and mapped together with street names and landmarks, carrier data can enhance data on your device.

The best thing is, if cellular forensics is being used in an important crime case, they can be used to break the case. However, a lot of investigators overlook this critical evidence.

Most cell towers consist of poles that send and receive signals in three sectors; this makes it easier as it enables them to identify which side of the tower communicated with a cellular device.

Carriers keep detailed call records of these communications for billing purposes, so the data includes information like date, call length, whether a call was inbound, outbound, or went to voicemail.

Tower data reveals whether the device was in motion or stationary. A person dialing from one location will hit the same side of the same tower, but a person on the go will hit different towers and different sides.

In an investigation that uses mobile forensics, carrier data information can be vital. It can be used to place a phone in a certain area at a specific time, identify call patterns, establish timelines and identify suspects. 

DLA is based in Cape Town and combines the experience of two seasoned investigators with both criminal and civil backgrounds with the latest technologies to achieve the results that you require. Contact us today today!