SafetyDetectives spoke with Kenneth Kuglin, the PR manager at Digital Forensics Corporation, about how to protect user data and privacy, how the company handles cybersecurity incidents, how the cybersecurity industry is evolving in the next few years, and more.
Can you introduce yourself and talk about your current role at Digital Forensics Corp?
Hello, my name is Kenneth Kuglin. I’m the Public Relations Manager and a former Digital Investigator at Digital Forensics Corporation. One of my main focuses is raising awareness of the growing issue of sextortion. I’m passionate about spreading the word to help people stay safe online.
Sextortion is a type of sexual exploitation where someone uses personal or sexual images or videos to blackmail or extort the victim. Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly common in today’s digital age, and many people are still unaware of the dangers and warning signs.
That’s why I’ve made it my mission to educate as many people as possible. On TikTok, I’ve taken the lead in spearheading a video campaign aimed at teaching the youth about this problem.
Our company’s objective is to provide tools and valuable information to everyone for their own safety, while also offering our services to those who may be in trouble.
Overall, I’m committed to making a positive impact on the digital world by helping people stay safe and informed.
What are the flagship services at Digital Forensics Corp, and what makes the company stand out?
The company’s flagship services are anything related to digital forensics investigations, which involve the preservation, analysis, and presentation of digital evidence.
This can be anything from helping with sextortion, cases of infidelity, recovering lost or deleted data, analyzing electronic devices, and social media accounts, or conducting forensic accounting investigations.
Recently, our analysts have reported that a rising number of their cases are sextortion-related because it’s such a prevalent scam that is happening now.
What sets us apart is definitely our team of determined and caring individuals who work tirelessly on behalf of our clients.
Our investigators in cases of sextortion, for instance, have a high success rate at getting scammers and blackmailers to back off and delete the victim’s material. Additionally, having a specialist who can empathize with individuals when they reach out in this state of distress can definitely positively impact the victim’s emotional well-being.
What measures does digitalforensics.com take to ensure the security and privacy of its client’s data?
Digital Forensics Corp takes data security and privacy seriously and implements various measures to ensure the protection of client data.
Without going into too much detail, we maintain best cybersecurity practices according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Commerce Department.
Our internal network is safeguarded by consistently reevaluating and reassessing our network security protocols, the integration of a state-of-the-art SIEM system, and the implementation of industry best practices for user and network security. Personal devices that could potentially compromise network security are not used on-site.
The security of our server room is closely monitored and regulated to prevent any unauthorized access on-site.
Our storage facility for client hardware is equipped with a system to protect against climate disasters and other security threats.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not switch to remote work, as we wanted to maintain the highest level of security for our clients’ data.
We continue to uphold strict measures to ensure the utmost security and privacy of our clients’ data while it is in storage with us.
Can you tell us about a recent cybersecurity incident your team handled and how it was resolved?
Due to confidentiality, I’m not able to disclose any specific incidents that our team was involved with. That being said, I can provide an outline for how we might respond in a typical cybersecurity incident.
In general, when a cybersecurity incident occurs, the first step is to identify and isolate the affected systems to prevent the spread of the attack.
This type of instance would be followed by a thorough investigation to determine the nature and scope of the attack, including the type of malware used, the extent of the damage, and the potential impact on the organization.
Once the investigation is complete, the next step is to remediate the damage and restore the affected systems to their pre-attack state.
This could involve cleaning malware from infected systems, patching vulnerabilities that were exploited in the attack, and restoring data from backups if necessary.
How can you detect if intellectual property has been stolen?
During an intellectual property theft investigation, there are particular data elements that we would look for as indicators.
After cloning the network and hardware associated with the case, our forensic examination would involve looking for file transfers and downloads including any external devices that were used, and to which data was transferred.
We might also monitor network activity for any unusual or suspicious patterns that could indicate the theft of intellectual property, such as the presence of specific keywords related to the property in question.
Further, we would leverage digital forensic tools to scrutinize and decrypt hashed data that may be significant if necessary, including incidents of unauthorized access or deleted and modified files.
This analysis would help us identify any evidence of intellectual property theft and provide our clients with a comprehensive investigation report.
How do you see the cybersecurity industry evolving in the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years, I foresee significant advancements and changes within the cybersecurity industry, particularly in response to emerging threats.
One such danger is the potential for an increase in deepfake AI scams, which involve the use of artificial intelligence to fabricate realistic images, videos, or audio recordings to manipulate individuals or organizations.
This technology is becoming more accessible and advanced, making it easier for bad actors to use it in their attacks.
Another area of concern is the potential for an increase in financial crimes related to cryptocurrency. As more companies and individuals adopt digital currencies, scammers will increasingly target these transactions to exploit vulnerabilities and steal assets.
Again, the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence by scammers will likely become more sophisticated and prevalent in the next few years. These technologies can be used to automate attacks, identify vulnerabilities, and adapt to new defenses, making it more important than ever to educate people on avoiding cyber threats.
