Employers don’t often think they really need the help of a computer forensics consultant or a computer investigation in the normal course of business. However, when something just doesn’t seem “right” it pays to listen to your gut carefully. Case in point is a story recently reported by NPR.
What began as a hint that the computer infrastructure was being hacked by someone in China illuminated a scheme perpetrated by a worker.
It seems the employee had outsourced his own work to a sub-contractor in China. Yes, you read that correctly. His job responsibilities for software development were being handled by someone in China – while he was earning a six-figure income! He was also reputed to be “the best developer in the building.”
While his work was being accomplished on the other side of the world, he spent his time surfing the web, watching videos, spending time on EBay and updating Facebook and LinkedIn. For this, he earned four-fifths of his income and sent about $50,000 each year overseas.
I will admit that this may appear to be an extreme case, but with computer and Internet use a regular part of workplace processes, employers are often asking how much time and productivity is lost to non-work activities.
This employee was ousted through a computer forensic investigation and more computer forensics firms are being hired to routinely provide services. A computer forensic analysis may be routine when an employee leaves or is terminated, but forensics consultants are suggesting that regular digital forensics be a part of the security program.
Attacks from outside are within the realm of a computer hacking forensic investigator, but a computer forensics specialist can complete an analysis that can identify not only hackers, but act as spyware detectors – and, as in this case, anomalies in work patterns.
It’s not exactly what a computer forensics investigator might expect, but computer data forensics recovery results in the facts – truth unveiled by facts. By using experts, if the situation would ever result in a suit in court, the computer forensics expert becomes a bona fide computer forensics expert witness.
Like I said, it pays to listen to those gut feelings and get in touch with an organization like who can provide computer forensic services quickly and efficiently when needed.
-Brenda McGinley, CEO, All in Investigations, All in Investigations
