Digital forensics & data theft
Digital evidence at risk, or data walked out the door? Preserve it properly.
Forensic imaging and analysis of laptops, phones, email and cloud accounts, investigations of data theft, insider threats and business email compromise, and evidence handled so it can be relied on in court.
- Laptops, mobiles, email, cloud and messaging, imaged and hash-verified
- Departing-employee data theft, insider threats and email-payment fraud
- Chain of custody documented for Section 63 certificates
A senior specialist is available immediately to talk your matter through, before any assignment.
Speak to an expert- Investigations for corporates in India and overseas
- 1,250+Investigations for corporates in India and overseas
- Market intelligence assignments
- 500+Market intelligence assignments
- Years investigating corporate misconduct (since 2007)
- 19+Years investigating corporate misconduct (since 2007)
- Countries where we have investigated
- 11+Countries where we have investigated
Exhibit · SF-DF
Digital forensics and eDiscovery
- Handling
- Strictly confidential
- First contact
- Senior specialist
- Evidence
- Chain of custody
- Coverage
- India & 11+ countries
In short
Digital forensics preserves and examines electronic evidence (laptops, phones, email, cloud and chat) using forensic imaging and hash verification, so it can be relied on in disciplinary action, litigation or a criminal complaint. Spectra Forensics investigates data theft by departing employees, insider threats and business email compromise, and documents a chain of custody that supports a Section 63 certificate under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
Talk it through with a senior specialistWhen clients call us
Incidents we respond to
A departing employee took data
Client lists, designs or pricing copied to USB, personal email or cloud before exit.
Business email compromise
A spoofed or hijacked mailbox redirected a payment to a fraudster’s account.
Insider threat
An employee or contractor misusing access to data or systems.
Devices to preserve
Laptops and phones that must be imaged before they are reused, wiped or returned.
Large-scale document review
Email and files to collect, search and produce for an investigation or a dispute.
Leaked information
Confidential information appearing with a competitor or in the media.
Guide
What you need to know
What should we do first when digital evidence is at risk?
Do not open, browse or switch devices on and off: that changes data and weakens the evidence. Isolate the devices and accounts, suspend auto-deletion and retention policies, revoke access discreetly where needed, and have a forensic specialist image the media. Record who handled each device and when.
Is electronic evidence admissible in Indian courts?
Yes, when collected and handled properly. Section 61 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 provides that electronic records cannot be refused merely because they are electronic. Section 63, which replaced section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, sets the conditions for admitting computer output and requires a certificate. Forensic imaging, hash values and a documented chain of custody support it.
Can we examine an employee’s laptop or phone?
Company-owned devices can usually be examined under clear policies and employment terms. Personal devices raise harder questions of consent and privacy, and from May 2027 most obligations under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and DPDP Rules 2025 will also apply. Confirm the legal basis and take specific legal advice before examining any device.
What happens after a business email compromise?
Contact your bank immediately to try to recall or freeze the payment, report it to the cybercrime authorities, and preserve the mailboxes, logs and the fraudulent emails. A forensic review then establishes how the account or conversation was compromised, what else was accessed, and what controls failed.
- Forensic images with hash verification
- Chain-of-custody documentation
- Investigation report: what was accessed, copied or sent, by whom and when
- Support for Section 63 certificates and expert testimony
- Reviewed and tagged document sets for counsel (eDiscovery)
What to expect
What happens after you get in touch
- 01
Consult a senior specialist
A senior specialist is available immediately to listen to what has happened and talk through your options, before any assignment. No names or documents are needed at this stage.
- 02
A proportionate scope
We suggest the right next step, from a preliminary review to a full engagement, with the team, approach and fee basis agreed before work starts.
- 03
Evidence first, discreetly
Work starts by securing records, devices and data before anyone connected to the matter is alerted.
- 04
Findings you can act on
A clear, evidence-backed report for your board, lender, counsel or regulator, with support for the next legal, disciplinary or commercial step.
Why Spectra Forensics
Independent, discreet, evidence-led
Frequently asked questions
What is forensic imaging?
A bit-for-bit copy of a storage device, verified with a hash value so that any later change can be detected. Analysis is done on the copy, never on the original.
Can deleted files and messages be recovered?
Often, in part. Recovery depends on the device, the time elapsed and whether the data has been overwritten, which is why devices should be preserved quickly.
Can you collect data remotely?
Yes. Remote forensic data collection lets us preserve laptops and cloud accounts in other cities or countries without shipping devices.
Do you help individuals who lost money to online scams?
Our work is for organisations. Individuals who have lost money to online fraud should call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in straight away.
What is eDiscovery?
The identification, collection, review and production of electronic documents for litigation, arbitration or an investigation, done forensically so the set can be defended.
Speak to us in confidence