Wisconsin's Own Digital Intelligence Helps Crack the Case
Believe it or not, Wisconsin is home to one of the most influential names in the world of digital private investigation. Digital Intelligence of New Berlin manufactures a full suite of computer forensics equipment, highlighted by the FRED family of digital forensics systems. FRED, or Forensic Recovery of Evidence Device systems, are the most versatile and widely-adopted forensic recovery machines used in the intelligence community.
While it’s convenient to have Digital Intelligence right in our backyard, Spindletop chose them for many reasons other than home state pride.
FRED Forensic Workstations Protect Valuable Data
Collecting valuable information is only part of a digital investigator’s job. Preserving evidence in a manner which ensures it has not been tampered is crucial in protecting not only our clients, but also the people we are investigating. No private investigator will stake their good reputation on information which can’t be independently verified. When it comes to life-changing investigations, every precaution must be taken.
FRED workstations help by fully integrating write blocking for numerous interface types directly into the system. Systems include integrated hardware write blocking for some or all of the following interface formats:
IDE drives
The most common hard drive interface format in the 1990s and early 2000s, IDE drives, known retroactively as Parallel ATA, featured a 40-pin or 80-pin connector attached to ribbon cable.
SATA drives
Serial ATA interface was introduced in 2003 and peaked in dominance in 2008 with over 99% of the interface market share. SATA cables require only a 7-pin connection, making them far more efficient and space-friendly than IDE cables.
SAS drives
Serial Attached SCSI drives are typically low-capacity, high-RPM drives with high-end data protection features making them ideal for servers and enterprise-level data storage.
USB 3.0 connections
Universal Serial Bus is a connection technology originally developed in the 1990s to help standardize interfaces for a rapidly expanding number of computer peripherals. Having a single connection standard eliminated the need for separate connectors for each of your peripherals, such as mice and keyboards or printers. USB connections are capable of delivering both power and information between devices, making it indispensable as technological advances have leapt forward.
FireWire connections
IEEE1394, more commonly known by the commercial name “FireWire”, was developed independently by Apple to serve a similar function as USB. Though Apple began developing FireWire before earlier, USB has become a far more common standard. While it is still technically supported, Apple replaced FireWire ports in new Mac products with Intel’s Thunderbolt technology in 2014.
Flash memory cards
Popular flash memory card formats include the SD/MMC and CompactFlash family of products by SanDisk, Sony’s Memory Stick and XD by Olympus. Flash memory is a non-volatile storage medium which offers high capacity permanent storage in very small card sizes. Since SmartMedia launched in 1995, physical card size and storage capacity have followed a roughly inverse-proportional relationship, with larger capacities appearing in ever-shrinking physical spaces.
Hardware Write-Blocking Advantages
Hardware-level write blockers, also called forensic disk controllers, intercept and block any attempt by the operating system to alter the contents of the disc, ensuring the contents are not inadvertently altered during forensic imaging. Unlike software write blockers, forensic disk controllers operate independently of the operating system, meaning a smaller chance of failure.
Private investigators who use FRED systems easily have a leg up on those who choose lower-quality computer forensic equipment.
When law firms hire a private investigator, they choose the one who can guarantee any evidence collected is legally admissible in court. Corrupted data or unreliable write blocking could be the difference between winning or losing your case.
Forward-Thinking Scalable Power
Spindletop Investigations uses equipment from Digital Intelligence because of their commitment to proactive digital forensic problem solving. FRED workstations are powerful high-end machines built with future-proofing in mind. In addition to the built-in features on FRED, Digital Intelligence also builds a full array of forensically-sound accessories and adapters to keep private investigators on the leading edge of the latest technology.
Advances in communication technology continue leaping forward. As long as people continue using this technology to commit insurance fraud, stalk children online or cheat on their husbands or wives, Spindletop Investigations will be there to find them with the most advanced digital forensic tools and techniques.
For more information about the Wisconsin private investigator tools manufacturer, please visit the Digital Intelligence website.
Back To Capabilities