Latest news with #digitalforensics
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Limerston Capital Acquires CyberCrowd to Create New Cyber Security Platform
LONDON, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UK mid-market private equity investment firm Limerston Capital, today announces the acquisition of CyberCrowd, a UK-based cyber security services specialist. This transaction marks the start of a new platform to create a new platform business alongside assets from an earlier cyber security acquisition that aims to create one of the UK's leading providers of cyber security and digital forensics services, for both public and private sector clients. This strategic acquisition brings together two complementary businesses, supported by highly-skilled teams, to offer broader and more sophisticated services to clients across the UK. The new Group offers not only market-leading digital forensic and cell site capabilities, e-Discovery solutions and a proprietary forensic case management software, but also a 24/7 UK-based SOC offering, highly-accredited incident response solutions, and scaled cyber consultancy and penetration testing services. The new Group will explore additional opportunities for expansion in the cyber security market, as it delivers seamless, end-to-end cyber resilience and digital capabilities for customers across a range of sectors, including those at the forefront of ensuring national security. João Rosa, Founding Partner of Limerston Capital, commented: "We are delighted have completed the acquisition of CyberCrowd for our new cybersecurity platform investment. We believe that with this acquisition, we have formed a solid starting point for a platform in cyber security, which will bring sought-after service capabilities and end-markets to the Group. We look forward to working closely with Mike and the team to capitalise on the many opportunities ahead." Mike Robinson, Managing Director of CyberCrowd, added: "It's great to be part of a business that genuinely helps to make our customers safer and more secure. We have achieved this by building a business that our staff are proud to be part of, one that we're pleased will continue over the coming years as we work on new objectives with Limerston." "As the Group grows, we will be able to provide our clients with extended capabilities, increased technical depth, and access to a broader team of security professionals. I'm very excited to be sharing the next part of our journey with Limerston Capital and look forward to continued growth and opportunities for our colleagues and customers." About Limerston Capital Founded in 2015 by James Paget, João Rosa and Martim Avillez, London based Limerston Capital pursues control investments in UK mid-market companies and seeks to create value through the firm's buy-and-build and operationally focused model. The firm targets businesses with EBITDA of between £5 million and £15 million that have a solid value proposition, but have potential for operational improvements, have mispriced underlying returns on capital and provide opportunities for strategic repositioning via consolidation. View source version on Contacts For more information, please contact:Martim Avillez, Limerston Capital Founding +44 (0)203 897 1860 Media:Caroline Villiers cvilliers@ +44 (0)7808 585184Charlotte Balbirnie cbalbirnie@ +44 (0)7989 528421 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- News.com.au
Erin Patterson: Online searches probed in mushroom murder trial
Lawyers acting for alleged triple-murderer Erin Patterson have begun questioning a digital forensics officer about digital records found on devices taken from the accused woman's house. Shamen Fox-Henry, from Victoria Police's cybercrime squad, returned to the witness box on Monday for cross-examination after giving evidence over three days last week. Under questioning by Ms Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC, Mr Fox-Henry was taken to a report generated on about 67 data artefacts pulled from more than 2½ million records on a Cooler Master computer. The jury was told the device was taken from Ms Patterson's home on August 5 and, after processing using proprietary software, investigators used keyword searches to identify items of interest. Records from the Cooler Master computer captured online activity over about three minutes from 7.20pm to 7.23pm on May 28, 2022. Last week the jury was told a Bing search for 'iNaturalist' was located at 7.20pm, followed by a visit to the iNaturalist homepage through the Microsoft Edge browser. Minutes later, at 7.23pm, a specific URL was visited with the recorded headline 'Deathcap from Melbourne, Vic, Australia on May 18 2022 … Bricker Reserve, Moorabbin – iNaturalist'. Just 21 seconds later another record captures a Google search for Korumburra Middle Pub at 7.23pm, a venue not far from Ms Patterson's home. Another record captured a phone number and 'Erin Patterson' being auto-filled by Google. Mr Mandy suggested this appeared to be an 'auto-fill purchase' from the pub, but Mr Fox-Henry confirmed that anyone with access to the computer could use the auto-fill. He told the jury that he did not examine the computer to check these settings, nor if the date and time of the computer was correct. He conceded that he could have, if asked, re-examined the records of the computer to look at activity before and after the three minutes of records. Questioned on if this could have given him more information about the activity, such as who conducted the search or past or subsequent activity, the forensic officer said 'potentially, yes'. Ms Patterson is facing trial after pleading not guilty to murdering three members of her husband Simon Patterson's family and the attempted murder of one more. Prosecutors allege she deliberately poisoned a lunch on July 29, 2023 with death cap mushrooms, while her defence argues the poisoning was an unintentional tragic accident. Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died in the week following the beef wellington meal, while Ian Wilkinson survived. The trial continues.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
What the Tech: Sextortion warning signs
Last night, we uncovered how online predators are targeting children through a disturbing and fast-growing scheme known as sextortion. It often starts with what seems like a harmless message from a new friend. That friend may ask for a nude photo, and once they get it, the blackmail begins. The scammers threaten to share the image unless the child sends money or more photos. Tragically, it's working. Many victims never tell a parent or report it to police. But there are signs, and knowing what to look for could save your child. Sean Quellos is a digital forensics expert who now works pro bono to help kids and their families track down these predators and work with law enforcement. 'You're dealing with teenagers, or kids even younger than that,' Quellos says. 'It's a large-scale incident for them. They feel like there's nothing they can do. They feel trapped by the sextortionist.' That feeling of shame and fear is what predators rely on. But there are early warning signs that something is wrong, and parents need to be on alert. Quellos says these behavior changes could be clues that something is going on: A sudden obsession with phones or messaging apps Pulling away from activities like sports or spending time with friends Hiding devices or changing passwords Anxiety, mood swings, or increased secrecy These shifts are often subtle at first but can escalate quickly. If your child suddenly isolates themselves, becomes overly secretive, or starts avoiding friends, it's time to have a conversation. Kids can also watch for clues that someone they're talking to isn't who they claim to be. Sextortionists often target dozens of children at once and make simple mistakes. They forget details your child has shared They ask the same questions repeatedly They call the victim by the wrong name They say things that clearly don't apply These are signs the person on the other end may be impersonating someone and may have dangerous intentions. Now there's a tool that can help. It's called Take It Down, created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It allows kids and families to anonymously flag explicit images and remove them from websites and social media, even if they've already been shared. How it works: Users upload or describe the image privately on their own device The tool creates a digital fingerprint of the image Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and others scan for and remove any matching content Importantly, the image itself is never uploaded. The system uses encrypted identifiers to protect the user's privacy while helping them regain control. Since launching in February 2023, Take It Down has received more than 83,000 submissions. That's 83,000 people — many kids — taking steps to protect themselves and erase this kind of content from the internet. You can find the tool and learn how it works at The biggest takeaway? Talk to your child. Not just about stranger danger, but about how people online might not be who they say they are. Let them know you're in their corner, no matter what. Because silence is what these predators count on, and your child's safety depends on speaking up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Forbes
How To Tell If A Digital Forensics Expert Is Qualified
Digital evidence plays a pivotal role in everything from corporate investigations and criminal trials to trucking accidents and insurance fraud. Finding a qualified digital forensics expert has never been more important. As I covered in my last article, digital forensics differs from many professional fields in that it lacks a universal licensing requirement. This absence leaves attorneys, judges, and organizations with the difficult task of evaluating expert qualifications without any standardized criteria to guide their decisions. So how can you determine if a digital forensics expert is truly qualified to handle your case? The answer lies in understanding the unique qualification landscape created through formal education, certifications and experience. Academic credentials in digital forensics, computer science or cybersecurity provide a structured foundation of knowledge that can be valuable in establishing an expert's qualifications. Degrees from accredited institutions demonstrate that an individual has completed a comprehensive curriculum covering fundamental concepts and methodologies relevant to digital investigations. However, formal education comes with inherent limitations in this rapidly evolving field. Many highly skilled digital forensics professionals enter the discipline from diverse backgrounds in IT, law enforcement, military intelligence and law, bringing valuable perspectives that traditional academic paths might not provide. Some of the most effective practitioners developed their expertise through non-traditional routes, accumulating specialized knowledge through hands-on experience rather than classroom instruction. Even when formal education is present, the static nature of academic curricula presents challenges. University programs must maintain a certain level of consistency, meaning coursework often lags behind the cutting-edge of technology. A degree completed five years ago could provide solid foundations for the overarching principles of mobile phone forensics, but it wouldn't cover today's mobile forensics challenges. Challenges that evolve with every iOS and Android operating system update. This reality underscores why the most qualified digital forensics experts approach their profession as lifelong learners, continuously supplementing their formal education with ongoing professional development. The best practitioners actively seek knowledge beyond their initial training, regardless of whether that training occurred in a university setting or through alternative pathways. While not mandatory, certifications provide an important baseline for assessing a digital forensics expert's technical knowledge. These credentials fall into two main categories, each offering different insights into an expert's capabilities: The strongest digital forensics experts typically possess a combination of both certification types, showing both practical tool mastery and broader methodological understanding. This certification portfolio provides reasonable assurance that an expert possesses at least minimum technical competency. However, certifications alone tell only part of the qualification story. While certifications establish baseline knowledge, real-world experience often proves the most valuable in determining an expert's true capabilities. Digital forensics is fundamentally a practical discipline where theoretical knowledge must be applied to complex, unique scenarios that rarely match textbook examples—because an examiner may be the first to encounter a new type of digital evidence. When evaluating experience, consider both quantity and quality. The number of years in practice matters, but more important is the diversity and complexity of cases handled. An expert who has worked five years exclusively doing forensic data collections may have less relevant expertise than someone with three years of experience across criminal, civil, and regulatory matters involving diverse technical challenges. An expert may possess extensive technical knowledge but struggle to effectively communicate findings to judges and juries. Previous testimony experience—especially in cases similar to yours—suggests an expert can translate complex technical concepts into language accessible to non-technical audiences. Publication history and continuing education also signal an expert's commitment to the field. Digital forensics evolves rapidly as technology changes, making ongoing learning essential. Experts who regularly attend conferences, participate in professional organizations, or contribute to peer-reviewed literature demonstrate they're engaged with emerging developments that may prove crucial to your case. Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of digital forensics qualification is the field's extensive specialization. Digital forensics encompasses numerous distinct sub-disciplines, each requiring specialized knowledge and techniques. This specialization means that even highly qualified experts may lack relevant expertise for specific case types. Consider the stark differences between sub-disciplines: A computer forensics expert may excel at recovering deleted files from laptops and analyzing user activity on desktop systems, but lack the specialized knowledge needed for cell site location analysis that could establish a suspect's whereabouts during a critical timeframe. Similarly, a video forensics expert skilled at authenticating and enhancing surveillance footage might have little experience with mobile device forensics necessary to recover deleted messaging app data from a smartphone. Even within seemingly related areas, critical differences exist. A network forensics specialist who routinely investigates corporate data breaches may lack the specific expertise needed to properly investigate peer-to-peer child exploitation cases. This specialization means you must assess qualification specifically for your case's technical requirements. An expert with impressive credentials and extensive experience may still be the wrong choice if their expertise doesn't align with your specific technical needs. When evaluating potential experts, ask pointed questions about their experience with the precise technologies and scenarios relevant to your matter. Request case examples demonstrating successful work in your specific sub-discipline. The most qualified expert for your case isn't necessarily the one with the most impressive overall resume, but rather the one with the most relevant specialized expertise. Beyond credentials and experience, how an expert approaches their work reveals much about their qualification. Digital forensics demands rigorous methodology to ensure evidence integrity and reliable findings. Qualified experts should clearly explain how they follow established methodological standards from organizations like the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence, or SWGDE, or the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST. They should keep detailed documentation of their processes, including chain of custody procedures, tool validation methods, and analytical techniques. Transparency about limitations is equally important. The best experts acknowledge the boundaries of what digital evidence can reliably show and avoid making overreaching conclusions. They should openly discuss potential alternative explanations for their findings and clearly distinguish between factual observations and interpretive opinions. This methodological rigor separates truly qualified experts from those who may have impressive credentials but lack the disciplined approach needed for forensically sound work. Determining if a digital forensics expert is qualified requires looking beyond any single credential or experience to evaluate their complete professional profile. The most qualified experts show technical competence through certifications, practical capability through relevant experience, specialized knowledge in your specific sub-discipline and methodological rigor in their approach. For attorneys and organizations seeking digital forensics expertise, this holistic assessment approach takes more effort than simply checking for a license or certification. However, this investment in thorough qualification evaluation pays off through reliable digital evidence analysis that can withstand scrutiny in legal proceedings. In a field where technology changes daily and new challenges constantly emerge, the most qualified digital forensics experts aren't just those with static credentials, but those who combine foundational knowledge with specialized expertise and a commitment to methodological excellence. By evaluating potential experts across these dimensions, you can find truly qualified professionals capable of handling your specific digital evidence needs.
