Hybrid work causing major data collection headaches for eDiscovery professionals, slowing down corporate fraud, IP theft and sexual assault investigations

Collecting data from offsite mobile devices, chat apps and remote employees are some of the top challenges faced by corporate investigators

A study commissioned by digital intelligence leader Cellebrite DI Ltd. (NASDAQ: CLBT) has revealed that hybrid work is creating major data collection headaches for eDiscovery professionals and corporate investigators and is slowing down corporate fraud, IP theft and sexual harassment investigations.

The data reveals that both in-house and agency investigators are facing new challenges caused by the pandemic-induced rise in hybrid and remote working. The top three issues highlighted by respondents are as follows:

• 70 percent of eDiscovery professionals say accessing data from offsite mobile devices is a major endpoint collection problem
• 63 percent of eDiscovery professional say accessing data from WhatsApp, WeChat and Telegram is a major endpoint collection problem
• 56 percent of eDiscovery professionals say collecting data from employees working remotely is a major endpoint collection problem

The data, gathered from 550 eDiscovery professionals and corporate investigators in 45 countries, also illustrates how the abundance of chat and collaboration tools – again accelerated by the pandemic – is spreading digital evidence across a broadening range of platforms.

Cellebrite Enterprise Solutions’ Endpoint Inspector helps relieve these pain points by:

• Creating and defining targeted collections from remote computers, remote mobile devices, and supported cloud workplace applications like Office365, Google Workspace, Slack and Box
• Easily collecting only what is needed from endpoints and cloud workplace applications without employees having to hand over their device, saving valuable resources
• Accessing a single source for cloud workplace app collection without logging into every app and pulling all data from multiple sources for every employee

Ken Basore, General Manager at Cellebrite Enterprise Solutions comments: “This study clearly shows that the rise in hybrid working is creating new challenges for investigators such as remote data extraction and the splintering of data across emerging collaboration tools. Organizations must equip professionals with the people, skills and technology required to extract, analyze, manage and store remote digital evidence. If these investments aren’t made, there will be real world consequences including rising cases of business fraud, growing, exposure to civil litigation, possible adverse judgments, unrecoverable financial losses and victims of workplace crimes that do not get the justice they need.”

Joe Pochron, Digital Forensics & Insider Threat Lead, Forensic & Integrity Services Ernst & Young LLP: “As you can see from Cellebrite’s Industry Trends survey, remote collection is growing more and more important for eDiscovery professionals. The growing landscape of collaboration tools provides a deluge of information to investigate. Thankfully, Cellebrite Enterprise Solutions provides the tools necessary to zone in on the data needed for corporate examinations.”

The report, which can be downloaded here, contains a wealth of data about the different ways corporate investigators and third-party service providers are using digital evidence. It contains actionable recommendations for organizations looking to enhance their remote collection capabilities and management of digital artefacts.

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