We create forensic images of computers, laptops, and servers using hardware write-blockers and validated imaging tools that produce bit-for-bit copies with cryptographic hash verification. Our examination recovers deleted files, analyzes filesystem metadata, reconstructs user activity timelines, identifies data exfiltration artifacts, and documents evidence in formats suitable for Wake County court filings. For Raleigh businesses investigating employee departures, we analyze company-issued devices to determine whether proprietary data was copied to personal storage, emailed to outside accounts, or uploaded to unauthorized cloud services before the employee's last day.

Server forensics is particularly critical for breach investigations where attackers may have compromised web servers, database servers, or domain controllers. We analyze server logs, memory dumps, and configuration changes to reconstruct the attack timeline, identify the initial access vector, and determine the full scope of data exposure.

Mobile devices contain text messages, call logs, photos with geolocation data, application data, browsing history, and social media communications that are frequently pivotal in both civil and criminal cases. Our mobile forensic capabilities cover iOS and Android device extraction, deleted data recovery, application-specific analysis for messaging platforms, and GPS location history reconstruction. We use forensically validated extraction methods that preserve evidence integrity and produce reports that Raleigh attorneys can confidently present in Wake County proceedings.

For corporate investigations, we extract data from company-managed mobile devices while respecting BYOD boundaries and privacy considerations. Our examination reports clearly document the scope of data collected and the methods used, providing the transparency that courts require when balancing investigative needs against individual privacy interests.

Email remains the primary communication channel for business disputes, and cloud platforms like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox, and SharePoint contain documents that are central to litigation discovery. Our cloud forensics practice preserves email messages with full header information, recovers deleted emails from retention policies, analyzes sharing and access logs, and documents the complete audit trail of document creation, modification, and distribution. For Raleigh law firms handling e-discovery, we provide forensically collected email archives in formats compatible with common review platforms.

Business email compromise investigations require specialized analysis of email headers, authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and mail-flow logs to determine how the attacker gained access, which messages were sent from compromised accounts, and whether wire-transfer or invoice-fraud schemes succeeded. We reconstruct the full attack timeline and identify the financial impact to support insurance claims and law enforcement reporting.

When a Raleigh business experiences a data breach, forensic investigation answers the questions that the NC Identity Theft Protection Act, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and breach-notification insurance policies require: What data was accessed or exfiltrated? When did the breach begin and end? How did the attacker gain entry? Which systems were affected? How many records were compromised? Our breach forensics team deploys rapidly to contain the incident while preserving volatile evidence — memory dumps, active network connections, and log data that disappears if not captured immediately.

The forensic investigation report serves multiple audiences: the legal team assessing notification obligations, the insurance carrier evaluating the claim, the regulatory agency reviewing compliance, and the executive team making remediation decisions. We deliver clear, defensible findings that support each stakeholder's needs while maintaining the evidentiary integrity required for any subsequent legal proceedings.

Craig Petronella provides expert witness testimony in North Carolina state and federal courts. As a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner, he explains complex technical findings to judges, juries, and arbitration panels in clear, authoritative language that non-technical audiences can understand. His testimony covers forensic methodology validation, evidence authentication, timeline reconstruction, and the interpretation of digital artifacts in the context of the specific legal questions at issue.

For Raleigh attorneys, we also provide litigation support services including deposition preparation, opposing-expert report review, technical consultation on discovery strategy, and demonstrative exhibits that make complex digital evidence accessible to lay fact-finders. Our goal is to make digital evidence work for your case, not against it.

Modern digital forensic investigations involve terabytes of data across multiple devices, cloud platforms, and communication channels. Artificial intelligence transforms the efficiency and thoroughness of forensic analysis. AI-powered pattern recognition identifies anomalous file-access patterns, unusual data-transfer volumes, and behavioral indicators across massive datasets that would take human examiners weeks to review manually. Machine learning classifies documents by relevance, identifies privileged communications, and clusters related artifacts to reconstruct event timelines.

PTG integrates AI forensic tools into our investigation methodology while maintaining the human oversight and validation that courts require. Every AI-generated finding is verified by a certified forensic examiner before it enters an investigation report. This approach combines AI's speed and pattern-detection capability with the professional judgment and courtroom credibility that only a qualified human examiner can provide.