When selecting digital forensics tools, capture and analysis functions and price are the three primary considerations. These functions contribute to a tool’s value, enabling the selection of options that align with the types of cases to be reviewed.

Advertisements often contain phrases like ‘industry leader’ and ‘top tier,’ but these are merely marketing terms and should not be the sole basis for tool selection. The legal system doesn’t rank or qualify forensic tools.

The two-tool rule in digital forensics aims to ensure data artifact verification in each investigation. However, this practice has declined recently due to pricing shifts in tool costs.

This is an opportunity for change. The term ‘affordable’ often implies reduced quality in technology. However, this assumption can lead to both increased overhead and lost profits.

Key Questions to Ask with Tool Selection

Are you the primary imaging source or do you get images from other people working on the case?

Paraben Answer:

Paraben imaging is well-documented and offers diverse options for all device and data source types. Computer data can be captured as full images or via triage using a free imaging tool suitable for client distribution. Smartphone acquisitions range from logical to physical, with flexible licensing for remote field deployment.

Do you need to unlock a lot of devices?

Paraben Answer:

Paraben offers unlocking options for some devices, but device unlocking is not its primary strength.

Are you looking for specific artifacts in most cases?

Paraben Answer:

Paraben excels at analyzing and producing artifacts from apps, system information, and metadata. The platform’s analytical data flow is flexible, allowing users to focus on diverse areas, such as computer email artifacts or smartphone app data, with parsed and unparsed data readily available.

Do the analysis functions of the tool allow you to manually see the data when you need to verify it?

Paraben Answer:

Paraben’s diverse parsing capabilities and the Zandra AI engine guide you to various data sources. All data is traceable back to its original source for investigator verification and review. Paraben prioritizes maximizing investigation efficiency through data processing and discovery.

Do you get additional functionality with your license? Cloud capabilities? IoT capabilities? Computer capabilities? Smartphone capabilities?

Paraben Answer:

We understand that license flexibility is crucial. E3 licenses provide a wide range of options, from the full capabilities of the Universal license to mobile-only features with the Mobile license. All licenses include support for associated cloud artifacts potentially linked to any data source. Paraben offers a license chart to help you choose the right features for your needs.

Addressing each of these questions provides valuable insights for your company and the nature of the cases you handle.

When evaluating tools, prioritize analysis options. If data cannot be consistently found and verified, cases will be compromised. Diversify your lab’s tools to avoid over-reliance on a single feature. Minimizing tool overlap optimizes budget allocation for varied data perspectives.

Creating a profitable Path

When purchasing a tool license, evaluate the licensing options. Determine if the license cost can be recouped within one examination or if it requires multiple cases. This indicates your company’s potential return on investment.

An affordable tool with cost-effective renewals can provide a greater financial advantage than a high-priced tool offering minimal feature additions. If both feature sets are required, strategically diversify your tool portfolio by allocating specific functionalities to one tool and focusing on analytical capabilities with another. This approach prevents excessive financial commitment to a single feature set.

Additionally, consider the strategic value of industry compatibility. Tools that support diverse import functionalities and integration with open-source tools can contribute to increased profitability. While open-source tools can be a valuable resource, they require thorough validation and verification due to their non-commercial development and testing processes.