Cases have included controller embezzlement, jeweler manufacture theft, cyber banking fraud, bankruptcy fraud, partner embezzlement, misrepresentation in acquisitions
McCann cases include IP theft and infringement, product tampering, theft of scientific research
Has your employee left with more than just a severance check? Do you suspect they are starting a competing company in clear violation of the CNC?
From contentious divorce to custodial abduction, McCann Investigators utilize cutting-edge tools to gather the evidence you need.
Investigation of complex corporate cases including non compete violations, intellectual property theft, fraud, embezzlement, theft of product, material misrepresentations
McCann works with criminal cases including allegations child abuse, statutory rape and credit card theft
Privacy Intrusion and Malicious Spyware on Laptops, Desktops and Mobile Devices can be a threat to your personal privacy as well as your company 
Computer Forensics | Mobile Device Forensics | Network Forensics | Cloud Forensics
Data Preservation & Forensic Collection | Malware, Spyware & Incident Analysis | Data Breach Remediation & Recovery | Cyber Slander Remediation & Response
Private Investigations | Corporate Intelligence | Background Investigations | Surveillance | Due Diligence | Social Media Investigations | Under Cover Work
E-Discovery & Data Review | Discovery Request Support for Cloud Based Sources | Expert Research, Reporting & Testimony | Trial & Pre Trial Presentation
Internal & External Vulnerability Assessment | Network, Desktop & Mobile Data Loss Prevention | Oversight of Existing IT Providers | IT Policy Design, Review & AuditModern Tools for the Modern Investigation
Data Breach and Digital Debugging
Spyware, key loggers and other forms of malware are constantly evolving, and pose a great risk as they are often able to evade the typical anti-virus software. The installation of these digital bugs could happen from something as simple as visiting a website or opening an email. These bugs can track keystrokes and browsing history and can even grant remote access to unauthorized users.
When your device is infected with a digital bug, private information such as documents, emails, images, client information, financial information, passwords and login identification could all be at risk. In a corporate setting, this means that critical information could be transferred to competitors, former employees, malicious current employees or the public at large.
McCann investigators use cutting-edge tools to detect and remove these bugs and implement protocols to prevent future attacks.
External threats are no longer the single point of threat in digital bugging. Any novice computer user can purchase spyware or keyloggers on the internet and install them with ease. Digital bugs are now often being used to spy on spouses in contentious divorces or to perpetrate intellectual property theft for fraud of an employer by current or former employees.
Our team of professional investigators can help you to prevent these attacks with our thorough understanding of malware and how it spreads.
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Digital Debugging & Data Breach Cases
The cases listed below represent a small sample of the hundreds of cases investigated by McCann over the past 28 years. Material facts have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients. Some of the cases discussed combine various issues and materials found in relevant case studies that have been reviewed by McCann Investigators. No attempt should be made to draw any factual conclusions based on the cases discussed. Please contact McCann Investigations for real world cases in which references can be furnished.
My Cell Phone is Bugged: Can You Help Me?
In this case, McCann mobile forensic investigators were asked to review the smart phone of a woman involved in a contentious divorce. She believed that her soon-to-be ex-husband had compromised her phone and was able to review text messages and emails between her and her boyfriend and her and her attorney. Upon review of her mobile device, McCann investigators were able to determine the presence of spyware. After discovering the spyware and documenting its presence, McCann investigators pushed information in attempt to prove that the ex-husband was the source of the spyware. He had a difficult time explaining to the judge why he was at a meeting that only she and her attorney knew about.
Spyware on a Laptop Computer: Stalking Ex-Husband
In this case, McCann digital forensic investigators were asked to review a woman’s laptop computer to search for evidence that her recently divorced husband had installed spyware on her computer. The woman reported to McCann investigators that her ex-husband seemed to know “facts that were only discussed online.” Her ex-husband “appeared” at events that she attended with her new boyfriend. Upon a scan of her computer, McCann investigators discovered evidence showing that spyware was installed on her laptop on the only day that her ex-husband had been in her home. Evidence was used in court to demonstrate his behavior.
Medical Practice Data Breach: HIPPA Issues
In this case, McCann digital forensic investigators were retained by a medical clinic who believed that “a hacker had obtained medical information of our clients.” They were also not sure that the data breach had been stopped, or if more information had been leaked. They first discovered the issue when the client began receiving emails with the content of other patients’ medical information, which included names and detailed lab tests. McCann CIRT team responded and determined the source of the data leak. The leak was fixed in cooperation with the IT provider, and it was determined that the total number of possibly exposed records was minimal. McCann reviewed the network security for additional flaws and discovered a few other possible issues via a complete IVA and EVA. The impacted patients were contacted and changes to the clinics security were implemented.
Public Data Breach: Credit Cards, Bank Records and License Plates
In this case, McCann digital forensic investigators were retained by a toll road to determine the extent of a data breach potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of users of a major toll road. The client was unsure if the data loss was via an external attack or an internal attack conducted by a recently fired director of IT security. McCann investigators were able to determine that the former IT security director had been slowly using client credit card information to steal small amounts of money from many thousands of accounts. A complex attempted cover up by the suspect was not enough to stop our team. McCann investigators worked with the toll road’s security director to document the wiring of funds to the suspect’s bank account.
Hacked Email Account and Distribution of Embarrassing Information
In this case, McCann investigators were contacted to investigate the “hacking” of a high profile executive’s personal email account. The contents of the email account included personal photos, some of which were sexual in nature and would be considered damaging. McCann cyber investigators were able to determine the possible IP address of the hacker, the executive’s former assistant and “scorned ex-lover.” The attorney for our client was successfully able to notify the former assistant and effectively remind her of the consequences of illegally accessing private information. The contents of his email remained private.
Data Breach and Extortion: “Pay or We Release Info”
A law firm had been contacted a few weeks prior with an extortion threat detailing with the disclosure of their private email communications. The extortionist, claiming to be an Eastern European hacker, disclosed that they had gathered three years of emails between the firm’s attorneys and clients and were going to publish them online unless the firm paid them $200K. The hacker provided details of emails between attorneys that would be extremely damaging to the firm. McCann digital forensic investigators were able to determine the timing and source of the email breach. It appeared that the source was the outsourced IT provider. The Eastern European hacker, was using a USA-based IP address that happened to be located at a coffee shop across the street from the tech’s home.
Related Posts from Our Blog
Recycled phones retain their previous owners’ data
Recycling cell phones is not new however, it is rapidly becoming very popular. Frankly, it makes sense economically. In fact, many vendors are offering a "trade-in" allowance when buying or upgrading a cell phone. Unfortunately, people are giving their phones to unknown entities for recycling without realizing that personal data can (and usually is) left behind, even after a mass deletion or a factory reset. The result of this is the potential for confidential information being exploited by criminals. Here are some things to consider before recycling your cell phone.
What do Sarah Palin, Ashton Kutcher, Beyonce, and George W. Bush have in common?
They’ve had their emails accounts hacked. And the list goes on even further - Scarlett Johansson, Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, Christina Hendricks. How do these celebrities get hacked so easily? The victims made it easy for the hackers to reset their email passwords by using simple challenge questions and publicly known answers.
This Week in Cyber Threats
Cyber threats, many state sponsored are becoming more prevalent as countries attempt to not only gain access to sensitive information, but to also to sabotage the networks. With US corporations and organizations being suspected targets for attempts of cyber attacks by China and Iran, you might not realize that antivirus software may not protect you.
