Intellectual Property Theft

In 2021, 56% of surveyed organizations experienced potential data theft due to employees leaving or joining. Additionally, 42% of insider threats researched involved employees stealing intellectual property or customer data.

Investigating corporate compliance violations using computer forensics can be complex and sensitive. Here are some of the best methods to consider:

1. Preserve and Secure Evidence: It is crucial to preserve and secure all relevant electronic evidence to ensure its integrity and admissibility in legal proceedings. This involves creating a forensic copy of the digital devices and storing them securely.

2. Conduct Data Collection: Perform thorough data collection from relevant devices, including computers, servers, mobile devices, and cloud accounts. This may involve utilizing specialized forensic tools and techniques to extract and analyze data, including deleted files, email communications, web browsing history, and system logs.

3. Review Communication and Collaboration Tools: Investigate the organization’s communication channels and collaboration platforms. This includes reviewing emails, chat messages, file-sharing platforms, and project management tools to identify potential compliance violations.

4. Analyze Metadata and File Artifacts: Analyzing metadata and file artifacts can provide valuable insights into user activities. This includes examining file timestamps, access logs, and user metadata to identify suspicious behavior or unauthorized access.

5. Monitor Network Traffic: Analyze network traffic logs and firewall data to identify any unusual or suspicious activities. This can help uncover unauthorized data transfers, network intrusion attempts, or potential compliance violations.

6. Examine Employee Behavior: Investigate employee behavior patterns by identifying user activity logs, login histories, and access privileges. This can help identify any abnormal activities or unauthorized system access.

7. Utilize Data Recovery Techniques: In case of data deletion or attempts to cover up compliance violations, forensic techniques can be employed to recover deleted or overwritten data.

8. Collaborate with Experts: Engage computer forensic experts who specialize in corporate compliance investigations to ensure that the investigation is conducted legally and in a defensible manner.

9. Document Findings and Maintain Chain of Custody: Keep a detailed record of all findings, actions taken, and the chain of custody for all evidence collected. This documentation is crucial for presenting the findings in legal proceedings, if necessary.

10. Collaborate with Legal and HR Departments: Work closely with the legal and human resources departments to ensure compliance with legal requirements, privacy regulations, and internal policies throughout the investigation process.

It is important to consult legal counsel and follow applicable laws and regulations when conducting corporate compliance investigations using computer forensics. Every investigation may be unique and require tailored approaches, so engaging professionals with expertise in computer forensics and compliance investigations is recommended.