Preservation-first services
Digital Evidence Preservation
Boston-based, serving clients nationwide
Digital evidence preservation and forensic data acquisition for legal and insurance-related matters.
Engagements are defined in writing and supported by custody, transfer, and preservation records.
Engagement Structure
Data365 Evidence engagements are structured around written intake, approved scope, custody records, transfer records, and preservation documentation.
- Written intake confirms the source, custody status, access conditions, and expected deliverables.
- Authority and transfer arrangements are confirmed before access, receipt, or release occurs.
- Preservation method is based on the source, access conditions, and expected deliverables.
- Preservation records document receipt, preservation, transfer, delivery, and verification.
Sources Considered for Preservation
- Devices and media: Laptops, desktops, external drives, and removable media.
- Cloud-hosted data: Mailboxes, cloud drives, and collaboration-platform data obtained through authorized provider tools.
- Authentication and access logs: Directory services, IAM/SSO, VPN, network-device logs, and related audit records.
- Device-generated records: Browser/search history, paired-device artifacts, connection history, application data, and related system records.
- Public website content: Publicly accessible web content captured with associated metadata.
Preservation Controls
- Scope is established at intake so the source, preservation method, and expected deliverables are defined.
- Original-source protection helps prevent unnecessary modification of source materials.
- Integrity verification is recorded for preserved images and exports when used.
- Chain-of-custody records document receipt, transfer, and delivery.
Documentation Provided
Preservation records document receipt, preservation, verification, storage, transfer, and delivery. Those records support legal review, claims handling, and preservation obligations.
Typical records may include
- Chain-of-custody record
- Acquisition log and preservation notes
- Hash verification record
- Device and source information record
- Delivery manifest and verification records
When evidence is lost before counsel is retained
Long before a matter becomes formal, routine system activity can alter or erase digital evidence. Beginning written intake helps capture source condition, likely transfer path, and immediate constraints while preservation options are still practical.
For the loss-risk sequence, see What Happens When Digital Evidence Is Lost or Overwritten. For the opening record used to frame source condition, access authority, and delivery logistics, see the intake guide.
Why preservation controls matter at the outset
Preservation risk often appears before expert retention, full fact development, or formal hold language. The safest next step is to settle who can authorize preservation, what needs to be handled first, and how materials should be transferred before technical steps are scheduled.
Selected preparation and checklist downloads
After preservation
Once materials are preserved, the next phase typically involves secure transfer, integrity verification, and recorded handoff for legal review or later expert engagement where separately retained.