Digital Forensics
Evidence, preserved. Answers that hold up.
Honeybadger Solutions is a digital forensics firm with its lab in Arizona, working on court-ready digital evidence — mobile, computer, server, cloud, and remote — for law firms, corporate counsel, HR and compliance teams, insurers, and private clients. We work with clients across the United States: devices can be shipped to our Arizona lab, or collected remotely. For statewide threat trends, see our Arizona Cybercrime Index.
What we recover
One laboratory, every source of the truth
A single question rarely lives on a single device. We acquire the phone, the computer, the server, the cloud account, and — where a device cannot be shipped — the evidence remotely, then merge it all into one chronological picture. Below is what we recover, by acquisition method.
| Capability | Mobile & Tablet | Computer, Server & Drives | Cloud Accounts | Remote Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deleted messages & encrypted chat logs | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Call logs, contacts & communication records | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Application data & third-party app parsing | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Location metadata & pattern-of-life analysis | ● | — | ● | ● |
| Cloud account extraction (100+ services) | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Images, video & deleted media carving | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Volatile memory (RAM) & hibernation files | — | ● | — | ● |
| Encrypted volumes — BitLocker & FileVault | — | ● | — | ● |
| Server, RAID & virtual-machine acquisition | — | ● | ● | ● |
| Screen-lock bypass (authorized matters only) | ● | — | — | — |
| Full file-system extraction (advanced access) | ● | — | — | — |
| Malware, stalkerware & C2 detection (YARA) | ● | ● | — | ● |
| OCR, transcription & keyword indexing | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Primary Engine
Oxygen Forensics Detective leads a multi-vendor forensic stack — supported by Cellebrite, Magnet, Belkasoft, GMDSOFT, Detego and more — merging computer, mobile, server, and cloud data into a single unified chronological timeline.
Remote Acquisition
Where the device, the platform and the matter allow it, evidence is acquired from laptops, servers, and mobile devices over secure, encrypted protocols, so the device can stay with its custodian. When remote collection is not possible, the device ships to our Arizona lab under a documented chain of custody. Timing is agreed at scoping, once authority and access are confirmed.
What we can and can’t promise
Recovery and access depend on the device, operating system, encryption, available credentials, legal authority, and what has happened to the data. We assess feasibility and explain limitations before we quote.
Specialized services
What we do, in the order it should be done
Preserve first, triage next, analyze against a defined scope, and report in a form a court can rely on. Each engagement is scoped to the matter in front of us.
Mobile & Tablet Forensics
Logical, file-system, and full extractions where the device allows — deleted messages, encrypted chats, call and contact history, media with embedded timestamps, app usage, and the device’s own location records.
Computer & Hard-Drive Forensics
Deep-sector imaging for Windows, macOS (including T2 and Apple Silicon) and Linux — behind write protection, hash-verified, capturing what a machine quietly remembers long after the files are gone.
Cloud Account Extraction
Mail, files, chat, meetings and the audit logs behind them — collected through each platform’s own compliance mechanisms, where an account-compromise answer usually sits in configuration and sign-in history.
Remote Forensic Extraction
The device stays with its custodian. Where the device and platform support it, a targeted or full acquisition over secure protocols, hashed at source and destination — scheduled once authority and access are confirmed.
Rapid Field Triage
When speed is the priority, on-site triage identifies the two or three devices that actually carry the answer — keywords, illicit files, or sensitive intellectual property surfaced quickly.
Deleted-Data Recovery
Deleted data can sometimes be recovered, depending on the device, its encryption and how much of the space has since been reused. We look for messages, documents, photos and fragments in the space they left behind — and where the content is gone, the record of the deletion can itself be a finding.
Chain of Custody & Defensible Collection
Authority and scope confirmed first, the original sealed, all analysis run on a verified copy, and every transfer, seal, date and signature recorded — a custody record built to be read by the other side.
Server & Enterprise Forensics
Live acquisition of servers, RAID arrays, virtual machines, and enterprise systems — including volatile-memory capture — with the effect on the running system documented, so we collect the evidence without taking the business offline. Event, access, and audit-log analysis included.
Expert Reporting & Testimony
Reports that name their methods and tools, separate findings from interpretation, and declare their limits — with sworn declarations and testimony that translate the technical into plain language.
The Honeybadger advantage
Why the evidence holds
Oxygen-Centric Analytics
Data visualization and link analysis that shows the connections between people, devices, and locations — not just a folder of recovered files.
Multi-Tool Checks
Key findings are checked on a second tool where the artifact allows it, and the report says when that was not possible — so the method can be explained under cross-examination.
Nationwide, remote or ship-in
For clients across the United States: devices can be shipped to our Arizona lab under a documented chain of custody, or collected remotely where the device and platform allow it.
Types of cases we handle
Where forensics decides the matter
How an engagement runs
Preserve. Acquire. Analyze. Report.
Preserve
Confirm authority and scope, then lock down devices and accounts before a retention policy or continued use can erase the record.
Acquire
Image behind write protection with hashes at source and destination — on-site, in-lab, or remotely, whichever the matter needs.
Analyze
Examine against a defined question and period, merge sources into one timeline, and check key findings on a second tool where the data allows.
Report
Deliver a report that names its methods and limits — with a full chain of custody, sworn declarations, and testimony when required.
Common questions
What clients ask first
An employee just resigned and we think they took files. What do we do right now?
Do not log in to the device or reissue the laptop. Secure it, note who has handled it, and preserve the person’s account and mailbox before a retention policy deletes them. The evidence of a USB copy or cloud upload is fragile, and acting early often decides what can still be shown — call us before you confront anyone.
What is digital forensics and when do I need it?
Digital forensics is the forensically sound acquisition, preservation, and analysis of electronic evidence. You need it whenever data on a device may matter to a dispute — intellectual-property theft, employment matters, fraud, family-law cases, incident response, or any situation where you must show what happened on a phone, computer, or account.
Will the report stand up in court?
It is built to be defended, although no one can promise how a court will rule. We work to recognized methodology, name our tools and versions, verify with cryptographic hashes, preserve originals and work from verified images, keep a documented chain of custody, and separate findings from interpretation. Sworn testimony is available when a matter requires it, and we coordinate directly with outside counsel.
Can you recover deleted files or get into a locked device?
Sometimes. We work with computers, mobile devices, removable media, and cloud accounts, but recovery and access depend on the device, operating system, encryption, available credentials, legal authority, and what has happened to the data since. Deleted data survives only until its space is reused. We assess feasibility and explain the limits before we quote.
Do you have to ship the device, or can you work remotely?
Either. Devices can be shipped to our Arizona lab under a documented chain of custody, or collected remotely over secure protocols where the device and platform allow it, so the device stays with its custodian. Within Arizona we can also collect on site. We confirm which route fits, and the timing, when we scope the matter.
What should I do to preserve evidence before we start?
If you suspect a device holds important evidence, avoid using it, do not install or delete anything, and leave it in its current state — continued use can overwrite recoverable data. If it is powered off, leave it off; if it is on, do not start shutting things down before speaking with us. Then call us for guidance.
Can I examine a spouse’s or employee’s device?
Only with proper authority. Marriage does not confer the right to search a spouse’s phone, and a personal account needs the owner’s informed authorization or proper legal process. A company-owned device is usually examinable subject to policy. We confirm authority before we touch anything.
Can digital forensics work alongside a broader investigation?
Yes. Our forensics work integrates with our private investigations, financial investigations, and cyber and incident-response teams, so a matter can move from detection to preserved evidence with one coordinated, licensed provider.
How do I get started with a forensic examination?
Request a confidential consultation. Honeybadger Solutions is a veteran-owned, Arizona-licensed and insured firm; every inquiry is handled confidentially.
The forensic ecosystem
A multi-vendor stack, not a single box
No one tool reaches every device or every artifact. We run several tools — led by one engine, with others used to check key findings where the data allows.
Oxygen Forensics Detective
Our primary engine for deep-dive app parsing, cloud extraction across 100+ services, and “pattern-of-life” behavioral analysis — merging computer, mobile, server, and cloud evidence into one chronological timeline, with link analysis showing the connections between people, devices, and locations.
— and additional specialist tools, selected to the matter
The clock on digital evidence is rarely yours.
Tell us what your matter turns on, and we will tell you honestly what the evidence can and cannot establish — and preserve it correctly before anyone can argue about how it was handled.
Focused services for specific matters
Each of these has its own page with scope, process and what to have ready. Choose the one that fits and request it online; the request goes straight to the forensics team.
Also handled: e-discovery, connected devices & breach response
E-Discovery & ESI
Defensible collection, processing and production of electronically stored information for litigation — deduplicated, searchable, and delivered in review-ready formats.
Vehicle / IoT Forensics
Extraction from infotainment and telematics systems, connected vehicles, and IoT devices — location, connection and usage data that traditional forensics misses.
Incident / Breach Forensics
Post-incident investigation of intrusions, data theft and insider misuse — timeline reconstruction, scope determination, and findings that support insurance and legal action. For nationwide and cross-border matters, evidence is handled with each jurisdiction’s rules in mind.
Nationwide digital forensics
We take digital forensics matters from anywhere in the United States. Many collections and examinations can be handled remotely with a documented chain of custody, and devices outside Arizona ship to our Arizona lab under a documented chain of custody; on-site collection is available within Arizona. Requirements for evidence and legal process vary by state, so every engagement is scoped with those rules in mind.
Explore each digital forensics discipline we perform in-house in our Arizona lab, for clients nationwide: