Data Breach Forensics in Cary, NC
When a Cary business discovers a data breach, the investigation that follows determines regulatory outcomes, insurance coverage, and legal exposure. Petronella Technology Group, Inc. provides forensic-grade data breach investigations led by Craig Petronella — a licensed digital forensic examiner with 30+ years of experience. We determine how the breach occurred, what data was compromised, and who was responsible, producing evidence and documentation that withstands regulatory scrutiny, legal challenge, and insurance adjudication.
BBB Accredited Since 2003 • Founded 2002 • 2,500+ Clients • CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner
Data Breach Investigations Require Forensic Rigor
Amateur investigation destroys evidence. Professional forensics protect your legal position and regulatory compliance.
Determine Breach Scope
Was it 100 records or 100,000? Did attackers access financial data, health records, or intellectual property? The forensic investigation determines the precise scope of compromise — critical for notification obligations, insurance claims, and business impact assessment.
Preserve Legal Evidence
Forensic evidence must follow chain-of-custody protocols to be admissible in court, accepted by insurance carriers, and credible to regulators. Our forensic imaging and analysis methodology produces documentation that withstands legal challenge and supports your Cary organization’s position in any proceeding.
Satisfy Notification Requirements
North Carolina law, HIPAA, SEC rules, and contractual obligations impose breach notification requirements with strict timelines. Our forensic findings determine whether notification is required, who must be notified, and what information must be disclosed — protecting your Cary business from over-notification or missed obligations.
Support Insurance Claims
Cyber insurance carriers require detailed forensic documentation to process breach-related claims. Our forensic reports are structured to meet carrier documentation requirements, supporting claims for incident response costs, business interruption, notification expenses, and liability coverage.
Data Breach Forensics for Cary’s Regulated Industries
Cary is home to organizations that handle some of the most sensitive data in the Research Triangle. Pharmaceutical companies manage clinical trial records and proprietary compound data. Healthcare practices store protected health information for thousands of patients. Financial advisory firms hold client portfolios and personally identifiable financial data. Technology companies maintain customer databases, source code repositories, and payment processing systems. When any of these data types are compromised, the investigation must be conducted with forensic precision.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. provides data breach forensics and digital forensic investigation services that meet the evidentiary standards required by courts, regulators, insurance carriers, and law enforcement. Craig Petronella is a licensed digital forensic examiner who has conducted investigations for Triangle organizations across every major industry. His forensic methodology produces findings that are defensible, thorough, and actionable.
For Cary businesses, our proximity means same-day forensic deployment. When a breach is discovered at a Cary pharma company on Regency Park Drive or a healthcare practice near WakeMed Cary, our investigators arrive within 30 minutes to begin evidence preservation — the most time-critical phase of any forensic investigation. Evidence degrades rapidly as systems continue operating, logs rotate, and well-meaning IT staff attempt remediation. Professional forensic intervention in the first hours can mean the difference between a complete investigation and an inconclusive one.
Our forensic investigations do not end with a report. We provide breach notification guidance, regulatory filing assistance, remediation implementation, and post-breach security hardening to ensure your Cary organization emerges from the incident with stronger defenses than before.
Forensic Investigation Services for Cary
Comprehensive forensic capabilities from evidence preservation through reporting and remediation.
Forensic Imaging & Evidence Preservation
We create bit-for-bit forensic images of affected systems using write-blockers and validated forensic tools. Every image is hash-verified to ensure integrity. Chain-of-custody documentation tracks every piece of evidence from acquisition through analysis and reporting. This methodology produces evidence that is admissible in legal proceedings and accepted by regulatory bodies.
For Cary businesses operating cloud environments, we preserve cloud artifacts including access logs, configuration snapshots, API call history, and data access records using cloud-native forensic techniques.
Breach Scope & Impact Analysis
We determine exactly what happened: how attackers gained access, what systems they touched, what data they accessed or exfiltrated, and how long they were present. For Cary pharma companies, we assess whether clinical data integrity was compromised. For healthcare practices, we determine which patient records were exposed. For tech companies, we identify whether source code, customer data, or credentials were stolen.
This analysis directly informs breach notification decisions, insurance claims, and remediation priorities.
Malware Analysis & Attack Attribution
When malware is involved, we analyze samples to understand capabilities, communication channels, persistence mechanisms, and potential attribution. This analysis informs containment strategies and helps determine whether the attack was opportunistic or targeted — critical intelligence for Cary businesses with high-value intellectual property or regulated data.
For ransomware incidents, we identify the specific strain, assess decryption feasibility, and determine whether data was exfiltrated before encryption — a growing trend that transforms ransomware into a data breach with notification obligations.
HIPAA Breach Risk Assessment
For Cary healthcare practices and organizations handling PHI, we conduct the four-factor HIPAA breach risk assessment to determine whether the incident constitutes a reportable breach. We evaluate the nature and extent of PHI involved, the unauthorized person who accessed it, whether PHI was actually acquired or viewed, and the extent of risk mitigation.
When notification is required, we assist with individual notifications, media notifications (for breaches affecting 500+ individuals), and OCR breach reporting within the 60-day timeline.
Expert Witness & Litigation Support
Craig Petronella provides expert witness testimony and litigation support for data breach cases. As a licensed digital forensic examiner, his testimony carries the credibility that courts require. We prepare forensic exhibits, technical declarations, and expert reports that clearly communicate complex technical findings to judges and juries.
For Cary businesses facing regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, or contractual disputes arising from a breach, our forensic documentation and expert testimony provide the technical foundation your legal team needs.
Post-Breach Remediation & Hardening
Forensic findings inform remediation. We implement the security controls needed to close the vulnerabilities that enabled the breach, harden your environment against similar attacks, and update your security program based on lessons learned. For Cary businesses subject to compliance audits, post-breach remediation documentation demonstrates corrective action to regulators.
Many Cary organizations choose to engage our ongoing cybersecurity services after a breach investigation to prevent recurrence.
Forensic Investigation Process
A rigorous, defensible methodology that produces actionable findings.
Evidence Acquisition
Forensic imaging of affected systems, log collection, cloud artifact preservation, and establishment of chain of custody. Every piece of evidence is hash-verified and documented from the moment of acquisition.
Analysis & Timeline Reconstruction
Deep analysis of forensic images, log correlation, malware reverse engineering, and attacker timeline reconstruction. We determine initial access vector, lateral movement, data access, exfiltration methods, and dwell time.
Findings & Reporting
Comprehensive forensic report with executive summary, technical findings, affected data inventory, regulatory implications, and remediation recommendations. Reports are structured for multiple audiences — legal counsel, regulators, insurance carriers, and technical teams.
Notification & Remediation Support
Breach notification assistance, regulatory filing support, insurance claim documentation, and security hardening implementation. We ensure your Cary organization meets every obligation and emerges with stronger defenses.
Why Cary Organizations Trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc. for Forensics
Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner
Craig Petronella’s licensure ensures forensic evidence is collected and analyzed to the standards required by courts, regulators, and insurance carriers. His 30+ years of experience provides the credibility your case demands.
Same-Day Cary Deployment
Evidence degrades with every hour. Our Triangle location enables same-day forensic deployment to any Cary business. We begin evidence preservation before critical data is lost to log rotation, system changes, or well-intentioned remediation attempts.
Multi-Industry Regulatory Expertise
We understand the regulatory implications of breaches across Cary’s key industries — HIPAA for healthcare, FDA for pharma, SEC for financial services, and North Carolina breach notification law for all businesses. Our forensic reports address the specific regulatory questions each framework raises.
End-to-End Service
We handle the entire lifecycle — from emergency evidence preservation through forensic analysis, reporting, notification assistance, and post-breach hardening. One team, one engagement, complete accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions About Data Breach Forensics in Cary
How quickly can you begin a forensic investigation in Cary?
Same day. Our Triangle location puts us within 30 minutes of any Cary office. We begin remote evidence preservation immediately upon engagement and deploy on-site forensic investigators the same day.
What should we do immediately if we discover a breach?
Do not shut down affected systems, do not attempt to remove malware, and do not wipe and rebuild. These actions destroy forensic evidence. Call 919-348-4912 immediately and isolate affected systems from the network if possible. Our team will guide you through evidence preservation steps until we arrive.
Will your forensic evidence hold up in court?
Yes. Craig Petronella is a licensed digital forensic examiner. Our methodology follows chain-of-custody protocols, uses validated forensic tools, and produces hash-verified evidence that meets Daubert standards for admissibility in federal court.
How long does a forensic investigation take?
Preliminary findings are typically available within 48 to 72 hours. Full investigations take two to six weeks depending on the number of systems involved, the complexity of the attack, and the volume of data to analyze. We provide interim reports to support time-sensitive notification decisions.
Do you work with our legal counsel during the investigation?
Yes. We routinely work under attorney-client privilege direction from breach counsel. Communications and work product can be structured to maintain privilege protections. We coordinate with your legal team throughout the investigation and notification process.
Can you investigate breaches in cloud environments?
Yes. We investigate breaches across on-premises, cloud (AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365, Google Cloud), and hybrid environments. Cloud forensics requires specialized techniques for preserving API logs, access records, and configuration snapshots that differ from traditional disk forensics.
Can you investigate insider threats at Cary businesses?
Yes. Insider threat investigations — whether involving data theft by departing employees, unauthorized access, or sabotage — are a core capability. We analyze email records, file access logs, USB device history, cloud sharing activity, and workstation artifacts to build a comprehensive timeline of insider activity.
How do we get started?
For active breach investigations, call 919-348-4912 immediately. For proactive forensic readiness, schedule a consultation to discuss retainer options and evidence preservation planning for your Cary organization.
Data Breach at Your Cary Business? Act Now.
Evidence degrades with every hour. Call 919-348-4912 immediately for same-day forensic deployment to your Cary location. Our licensed digital forensic examiner will preserve evidence, investigate the breach, and guide you through notification and remediation.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. • 919-348-4912 • Raleigh, NC 27606 • BBB Accredited Since 2003 • Founded 2002 • 2,500+ Clients