New Staff Certifications Allow Barefoot PI to Offer New Investigative Services

As a professional investigative service, our staff spends the majority of our time following people. In some cases, that could mean we’re actually physically following them, tracking their daily routines, finding out the places they go or the people they see. But we also live in the digital age, and it’s just as valid to say that our investigators spend a lot of time following peoples’ online activities across the Internet and through mobile devices. We also get called into investigations of cybersecurity incidents that often require proper forensic analysis and handling of mobile and smart devices in order to support the investigations or preserve evidence. 

However, our investigative team can’t just get ahold of a smartphone or a mobile device and start hacking our way into it – at least not without the official certifications in place that give our team members the skills and authority to do so that will ensure the integrity of the data within. So while we’ve offered computer forensics services to our North Carolina and South Carolina clients in the past, we’re happy to announce that members of our team have recently acquired two certifications considered to be industry standards in order to perform mobile forensics investigations. 

In this blog, we’re going to talk more in-depth about the Cellebrite Certified Mobile Examiner (CCME) and Paraben Certified Smartphone Examiner (PCSE) certifications and what services each opens up to our clients.  

A cap-stone certification to a longer series of mobile forensic courses, the CCME is a series of timed exercises completed in a proctored setting. The process starts with a 3-hour workshop designed to help prepare candidates to take the exam. It also requires the completion of fundamental courses in mobile forensics and certification as both a certified operator and physical analyst (CCO and CCPA). Testing against best forensic practices and concepts, the exam assesses the methods used by candidates in completing forensic analysis challenges.

This certification is built around familiarity and the ability to use Paraben’s E3 DS product, which is built specifically for mobile evidence examination. Completed through a 3-day mobile fast-track course, the certification is gained through the completion of physical and analytical labs as well as a written examination. 

Digital forensic investigations require a broad set of technical skills to ensure that data remains intact and uncompromised by any of the actions taken by the investigators themselves. In that sense, these certifications provide our team with the necessary guidance to navigate the interfaces of smartphone and mobile devices, identify possible evidence, and how to extract it. Additionally, these certifications show that our team of forensic investigators are able to carry out other tasks crucial to the investigative process that include: 

There’s been a 600% increase in cybercrime since the outbreak of COVID-19. And these activities aren’t tied to only desktops and servers; they often impact or involve mobile devices. These devices can be extremely tricky to extract evidence from without the right tools and certifications, which is why Barefoot PI has recently tasked members of our digital forensics team to obtain one of two industry-standard certifications, the CCME or the PCSE. 

To learn more about how our team can help your North Carolina or South Carolina based business properly respond to a cybersecurity incident, as well as our other investigative services, contact our offices today for a full rundown of our services. 

The post New Staff Certifications Allow Barefoot PI to Offer New Investigative Services appeared first on Barefoot Professional Investigations.