FAQ
Can you tell if I’ve been hacked?
We can find malware, spyware, VPNs, Bash history, and other forms of unauthorized remote access to your computer most of the time, if it exists – but we can’t find it every time.
Have you testified before?
Many times, in many states, for more than a decade.
Do you know how to write a Declaration or an Affidavit?
Yes, we do it pretty much all the time.
Can I use your Declaration as evidence in court?
Yes, that’s its main function.
Can you find Intellectual Property that’s been stolen?
Yes, that’s a big part of what we do.
How much do you charge?
We’re neither the most expensive, nor the cheapest. Analysis on the average computer costs around $2,000-$2,500 (USD), a phone is about half that, and our minimum fee is $1,500 (USD).
Do work in my city?
We’re based in California, but we do work all over North America, and occasionally for other continents as well. For better or worse, we meet only about 5% of our clients in person.
Who are your clients?
About half are attorneys. Another large percentage are corporate IT departments and the US military. A substantial percentage of our work is with individuals.
Can you help me erase data so another expert can’t find it?
We just don’t do that. Our job is to find data; not to destroy it.
Can you tell what files have been copied to an external drive?
Most operating systems don’t keep track of what was copied from it, although we often can find what has been sent via Cloud storage, text, message, or email. As below, we can often identify what device has been attached, so you can request, demand, or subpoena it.
Can you tell if an external drive has been connected to my computer?
Yes. And often the make, model, serial number, and date as well.
Can you find deleted text on a phone?
As long as some other process has not overwritten the data, we can find deleted texts, messages, photos, etc. on a smart phone such as an iPhone or Android.
Can you tell where a phone has been?
There is data, especially in photos, that can identify locations where a phone has been.
Do you work with cell phone towers?
We do work with cell phone tower data provided by phone companies.
Can you tell if my phone has been hacked?
Phones are rarely hacked. When they are, they rarely give a clue as to who has hacked it.
Do you work on routers or modems?
At this point in time, we do not.
Can you keep me from getting hacked?
You can find some ways to harden your network, and practices to avoid here and here. Or use the search box in the upper right-hand corner of any page on this site and enter the term, “hacking.”
How long have you been doing this?
Since 1985.
Can you show that an email is faked?
That is a service we offer. We suggest getting the source electronic email, and not working from a printout.
Can you tell if a document is faked?
For electronic documents, we can examine the metadata and search the computer for previous versions of it. We don’t do a lot with paper documents.
Can you tell if my spouse has been fooling around?
Always a tough situation. We can usually find more than 100,000 deleted History entries on a computer (fewer on a phone), deleted emails, text, messages, photos, videos, and much other evidence that would indicate a level of faithfulness.
What if someone formatted the drive?
Not a problem. In Windows, we would generally lose just the root directory. On a Mac, we would lose names and dates of files, but still recover the content.
What if someone wiped the drive?
It is extremely rare that someone manages to actually wipe a drive irrevocably.
Do you work on Macs?
We do indeed!
