Vogon International has announced the immediate availability of the latest version of its forensic software. Designed to meet the needs of government and law enforcement agencies, it offers a powerful range of imaging, processing and investigation software tools to enable investigators to fight computer crime and global terrorism. It will also prove to be an essential tool for larger corporate users and accountancy firms.
Vogon International`s forensic software has established itself as a leading investigative tool as a result of successful prosecutions in many high profile cases including Dame Shirley Porter, Gary Glitter and Dr Harold Shipman. By adding a wide range of additional functionality, Vogon has set a new benchmark for computer investigations around the world.
Investigators can now image and search a complete range of data storage media including hard disks, RAID arrays, computer tapes, CDs, DVDs and memory sticks in an evidentially sound manner. Vogon`s software is extremely robust and enables true mirror images to be reliably taken from even the largest disks.
Uniquely, it can output an image to two separate devices simultaneously, giving a working copy and a separate backup copy.
Rapid searches for image and text evidence files include all deleted files, slack space, deleted partitions, high-level formatted drives and corrupted file systems. They can now be carried out in a wider range of languages as Arabic, Russian and other Cyrillic character sets have been added to enable enforcement agencies to broaden the scope of investigations.
Vogon delivers the fastest text searches by pre-processing all disk data and creating a database organised into file types such as word documents, emails, pictures, etc. A unique word index-listing tool can be used to check the presence of suspect words or data, including misspellings, telephone numbers, bank account details or other relevant data that may trigger an investigation or thought process.
Vogon`s new Hash Manager, which includes the NSRL database of standard operating systems to identify files that do not need to be searched, enables custom databases of known files, such as pictures or music, to be imported or created to fine tune the search process. When searches are complete, Vogon offers easy navigation to suspect files, which can then be tagged as potential evidence.
A range of powerful reports can be generated including hyperlinks, enabling investigators to quickly produce evidential material in an easy to use format. The information can be exported to CD in manageable chunks for use by legal teams or law enforcement agencies without requiring programming skills. Users simply click on the hyperlinks for instant viewing of the evidence.
According to Gordon Stevenson, managing director of Vogon International: "This new forensic software provides investigators with a range of functionality that other applications simply cannot match. As well as providing vital information relation to the creation, history and usage of documents or images, it enables investigators to uncover the history and use of a computer system with accuracy and a greater degree of certainty. This gives enforcement agencies a valuable tool to help fight the growth of cyber crime and international terrorism."
In most cases, Vogon`s Forensic Software can retrieve data despite the best efforts of a person trying to conceal evidence by erasing or reformatting a disk. In addition, it can handle raw image files such as Unix dd and proprietary formats such as Encase, enabling seamless support for image files produced by other applications.
