McCann E-Investigations (McCann EI), a Texas-based computer forensics firm announced that it will offer new storage rates for all data collected in computer forensics investigations.  Many of McCann EI’s clients have on-going cases which require storage of imaged data for future use.  McCann will offer secure storage of client data at McCann EI’s state-of-the-art computer forensics lab for as low as $0.75 per gigabyte per month.

“Our technicians always work from copies made of the original data and the original drives are securely stored.” said Dan Weiss, Partner and Licensed Private Investigator at McCann E-Investigations.  “Once the project is completed, we will now offer to store the copies of the data for future use.” continued Weiss.

McCann EI will retain the data for forty five (45) days following the final report related to such data.  After the 45 days, the client can agree to storage of all of the data at $0.75 per gigabyte per month.  McCann EI will also provide secure destruction of all data related to the case upon the client’s request.  All hard drives will be permanently wiped and any case files will be securely disposed.  It should be noted that the destruction of data and related case files is permanent, irreversible and irreparable.  Should the case be re-opened, the data acquisition process would have to begin again at the normal rates.

After the 45 day retention period and absent other written agreement between McCann EI and the client, any data/equipment/media unclaimed or otherwise abandoned for a period in excess of thirty (30) days will be disposed of at McCann EI’s discretion.  McCann EI will not be responsible for data/equipment/media left in its possession beyond such thirty (30) day period.

About McCann EI:

www.einvestigations.com

Twitter: @McCannEI or https://twitter.com/#!/McCannEI
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/McCann-Investigations/203760582969139

Call us toll-free at 800-713-7670

McCann Investigators follow the trail and decipher the information regardless of whether the evidence is digital, such as electronically stored information found on computers, mobile phones or other devices or if the investigation requires traditional private investigative services.   McCann’s PI tools and techniques include surveillance, undercover work and detailed record searches.  The final product helps our clients gain a deeper understanding of what has happened or what is occurring.  The gained clarity and discovery of truth allows our clients to quickly respond and recover.

McCann EI is based out of our state-of-the-art forensic labs in Houston, which provide the latest in computer forensic and IT security technology. Our e-investigators combine digital skills with traditional private investigative techniques to provide you with an one-stop solution for your investigative needs. Our lab houses our computer forensics and electronic discovery service along with our databases, surveillance technology, and undercover investigators. Our investigators are experienced in providing expert witness testimony, including computer forensic testimony, in courts across Texas. Although we are headquartered in Houston, our investigators live in and work in cities all across Texas.

Call us toll-free at 800-713-7670 or speak to a local investigator:

Former BP Engineer Charged in Gulf Spill

Employers are catching on to the value of gaining information from Facebook, by requesting user names and passwords. This has sparked a lot of controversy on legality and privacy rights.   Regardless, social media is a wealth of information…good and bad.  Maybe people shouldn’t share so much online….just a thought.

Hold That Password: The New Reality of Evaluating Job Applicants

Read more: http://business.time.com/2012/04/20/hold-that-password-the-new-reality-of-evaluating-job-applicants/#ixzz1stlo98YB

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/23/hundreds-thousands-may-lose-internet-in-july/#ixzz1ssf2uhY1

A different sort of wildlife concerns Weiss, one of H-Town’s most notable private eyes. A partner at McCann E-Investigations, which has branches in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and New York, Weiss is on the edge of the global field of electronic investigations.

Because things can go sour in a split-second in his line of work, Weiss carries a concealed weapon. After all, he could run into an angry spouse, an embezzling employee facing jail time or an imbalanced client. “No one ever calls me in a good mood,” he says, noting that many investigations are of a very private, even personal nature, often concerning white-collar clients.

The requirement of discretion helps explain why there is no sign on the door of the local office, tucked away on a quiet Bellaire street just outside the Loop. It’s a quiet space, humming with the subdued efficiency of the world’s most blissed-out dental office. But don’t get the wrong impression: With a suite of forensic devices and specialized software, McCann is keeping malefactors on the run, handling not only missing-person and divorce cases, but also matters of embezzlement, contract fraud and cyber-slander.

The back room scanning equipment is nondescript, but the $500,000 worth of technology can crack passwords, scan systems to uncover e-bugs, undertake surveillance, or lock down a corporate IT system attacked by hackers. The machines can download photos, emails and even GPS coordinates. All he needs is about an hour with your iPhone or laptop.

“There are plenty of ex-cops in Houston that are qualified to follow people around,” says Weiss, 43, a father of five who today sports a muss of sandy hair and a blush of 5-o’clock shadow he attributes to an old-fashioned stakeout the night before. “But they don’t know
about computers.

“If I can get my hands on this,” he adds, holding up his own iPhone as a visual, “I can image all the information that’s on there.” He has turned up dirty pictures, “sexting” sessions and evidence of prostitution and online predators targeting young women. He’s used cellphone tracking to determine when and where elicit meetings have taken place.

Is that kind of sleuthing even legal? Weiss says that as long as the gadget he’s spying has been secured legally—it’s a company-owned asset, or, in the case of suspected spousal infidelity, a household property—then whatever material McCann’s crew comes up with is fair game.

“Usually I have to tell people that it’s worse than what you thought,” Weiss says. “The employee of 15 years has been embezzling. The mother of your children is turning tricks. The husband has a secret family. It’s sad.”

Weiss—who also works internationally, with a worldwide network of contacts worthy of John Le Carre—studied criminal psychology in college and worked in a maximum-security prison near Boston before he and his wife Michelle, a nanotechnologist, relocated to H-Town in 1994. He has a fleet of cars with blacked-out windows, and the traditional tools of the PI trade such as long-lens cameras and remote listening equipment, as well as body wires to record conversations. Still, the growth area in private investigations, he insists, is technological snooping.

And Weiss enjoys it, especially when he gets to help take down the baddies. “The truth is,” he says, just a bit menacingly, “I have a pathological hatred of criminals.”  Read the complete article at Houston Magazine

McCann E-Investigations (McCann EI), a Texas-based private investigations and computer forensics firm released a white paper titled Victims of Identity Theft Should Consider Hiring a Private Investigator.  Co-written by an 18 year veteran in law enforcement and a subject matter expert in private investigations and security, this paper explores the complexities of identity theft investigations and focuses on the steps that a victim must take to assist law enforcement in the investigation.  This includes the use of services provided by a private investigative firm with computer forensics background who can examine devices for evidence of network breach and safeguard potential future breaches.  The information gathered in the digital forensic examination can provide law enforcement with the evidence they need to track down the perpetrator.

“These crimes often don’t get the attention that is needed because there is not enough man power to pursue a case with little or no leads.” said John Shirley, Investigative Sergeant, Financial Crimes Unit.  “Active participation from the victim in gathering the data needed by the investigator is crucial.  Hiring a private investigations company with computer forensics expertise can help do the leg work, discover leads and save time. ” continued Shirley.

Often the perpetrators use spyware and key loggers that the victim has inadvertently allowed to be installed on a desk top or lap top.  This malware allows the perpetrator to harvest information about the victim.  This data can include login information, passwords, bank account numbers and social security numbers.  This data makes it possible for criminals to open fraudulent accounts or trick financial institutions into transferring funds out of an account.

“With so much of our financial business taking place online, it is much easier for criminals to get confidential personal information and use it commit fraud.” said Daniel Weiss, Private Investigator and Partner at McCann E-Investigations.  “We have seen an increase in cases where our clients believe that they have spyware installed on their computers.” continued Weiss.

IP address subscriber information is basically who the internet service provider has assigned a particular IP address to at a specific date, time, and time zone.  Since most residential IP addresses are assigned dynamically, multiple people may be assigned the same address on any given day which is why time and time zone are very important.  Once the police investigator gets the subpoena response on the IP address, he knows from which address (or cell phone number if it’s an IP address assigned to a cell phone data plan) the fraudulent transactions were made. This is primary source of potential suspect information for online identity theft.  “Computer forensics examination of the victims laptops, desk tops and other devices can help to determine how the breach happened.” said Gary Huestis, Director of Forensic Services at McCann E-Investigations.  “Of key importance for law enforcement are the IP addresses gathered in the computer forensics examination.” continued Huestis.

About McCann EI:

www.einvestigations.com

Twitter: @McCannEI or https://twitter.com/#!/McCannEI
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/McCann-Investigations/203760582969139

Call us toll-free at 800-713-7670

About McCann EI:

McCann EI provides the complete case solution with Hybrid Investigations.  The truth lies in many forms – digital and physical.  McCann Investigators follow the trail and decipher the information regardless if the evidence is in digital form, such as electronically stored information found on computers, mobile phones, or other electronic devices or if the investigation requires traditional PI tools such as surveillance, undercover work or detailed record searches.  McCann Investigators final product to you is a clearer understanding of what has happened or what is occurring. Clarity and the discovery of truth allows our clients to respond and recover.
Our investigators have the experience to provide expert witness computer forensic testimony in courts across Texas. McCann EI services Companies, Law Firms, and Individuals Statewide. Call us toll-free at 800-713-7670 or our Local Offices Austin Computer Forensics: 512-377-6142 Houston Computer Forensics: 832-628-4904 Dallas Computer Forensics: 214-329-9059 Lubbock Computer Forensics: 806-589-0320 Lufkin Computer Forensics: 936-585-4070 Brownsville Computer Forensics: 956-465-0849

We’ve seen the increased use of smart phones for communication, especially in companies.  With the new smart phones come new apps.  With the new apps come the increased risk of malicious software.  Read more.

Digital Debugging: What is Spyware and How is it Detected and Prevented

The very nature of the IT professional is introverted.  This makes them good at what they do.  Rather than being expressive and challenging problems head-on, a passive-aggressive stance may be taken and what better way to get back at the company than through a cyber-attack that brings down the whole network.

Sometimes some of this information can be forged, so each IP address entry needs to be cross referenced with the hostname and the timestamp as well as the other entries to determine if there are any forged sections that should be ignored.  The IP address chain can be rebuilt by comparing the “received from” IP address and the “received by” IP address.  The first IP address in the chain should be the actual IP address of the sender.  There can be cases where even the original IP address is not correct either because an IP address anonymizer was used or some other method to hide the original sender information.

Gary Huestis,
McCann E-Investigator