Data Protection Services NYC

Digital Forensics — Data Protection Services

iOS/iPadOS Forensic Services

As part of Data Protection Service, we offer advanced iOS and iPadOS forensic services to support legal investigations, internal security audits, and incident response. Using industry-leading forensic tools, such as Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit (Elcomsoft EiFT), we extract and analyze data from iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch devices, including both legacy and modern models.

Our capabilities include:

File system acquisition from supported devices
Recovery of deleted messages, app data, browser history, and call logs
Extraction and analysis of keychain passwords, tokens, and credentials
Access to encrypted containers, when supported by hardware and OS version
Detailed reporting for legal and compliance purposes

Disclaimer: Due to Apple’s evolving security architecture, full access (such as file system extraction or keychain decryption) cannot be guaranteed for all devices or iOS versions. Each case is evaluated individually based on the specific hardware and software environment.

Apple Mac Forensic Services

Our Apple Mac forensic services provide comprehensive acquisition and analysis capabilities for investigations involving macOS systems, including both Intel-based and Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) devices. We use industry-validated forensic software developed by Sumuri to ensure forensically sound data collection and examination.

Our capabilities include:

Full disk or targeted forensic imaging of macOS systems, including T2 and Apple Silicon-based Macs
Extraction and analysis of Apple Extended Metadata (XATTRs) — crucial for understanding file history, tagging, and system behavior
Recovery of user data, deleted files, application artifacts, browser history, and encrypted containers
Cross-platform analysis of evidence from Mac, Windows, mobile devices, and cloud services
Timeline reconstruction and correlation of activity across devices and accounts

Our process supports internal investigations, legal discovery, regulatory audits, and incident response, while maintaining evidence integrity and a strict chain of custody.

We also provide detailed forensic reporting suitable for litigation support, HR investigations, and compliance reviews.

Note: Forensic acquisition of macOS systems, especially with Apple Silicon, may require physical access, proper authorization, and in some cases, user credentials. Each case is assessed individually for feasibility and scope.

Windows & Linux Forensic Services

Our Windows and Linux forensic services deliver legally defensible acquisition and analysis of data from physical drives, virtual environments, and live systems. We use certified hardware write-blockers including CRU WiebeTech WriteBlocker to ensure that all data collection is conducted in a forensically sound manner — preserving evidence integrity from the very first moment.

Key capabilities include:

Imaging of internal and external storage media, including HDDs, SSDs, USBs, and encrypted volumes
Use of court-tested forensic platforms, such as PALADIN, to ensure compliance with best practices and evidentiary standards
Recovery of deleted files, logs, application artifacts, user profiles, and command history
Analysis of Windows Registry, event logs, and Linux log files
Detection of unauthorized access, privilege escalation, lateral movement, and persistence mechanisms
Support for hybrid environments and integration with cloud forensics when required

We work with legal teams, compliance officers, and internal investigators to provide clear, actionable findings supported by chain-of-custody documentation and expert reporting that meets legal and regulatory requirements.

Guaranteed Legal Integrity: Every acquisition is conducted using hardware write-blockers and industry-accepted procedures to preserve evidence without alteration. The chain of custody is fully documented, ensuring admissibility in court or regulatory proceedings.

Data Security & Compliance

Incident Response

When a cybersecurity incident occurs, time and precision are critical. Our Incident Response Data Protection Services are designed to help organizations quickly regain control, minimize damage, and return to operational continuity — while preserving evidence for root cause analysis or legal investigation.

Establishing a Safe Operating Environment

Our first priority is to establish a secure, threat-free zone (commonly referred to as a “green zone”) within your IT environment. This isolated space allows essential business functions to resume safely, without the risk of reinfection or further compromise.

At the same time, we initiate a structured network audit and asset discovery process to gain a clear understanding of the environment, identify all potentially affected systems, and uncover any unknown or unmonitored assets. This comprehensive visibility is key to ensuring no threat vectors remain undetected and that recovery efforts are properly scoped.

Flexible Response Based on Your Needs

Depending on the scope and nature of the incident, we take one or both of the following approaches:

Forensic Imaging & Analysis:
We create forensically sound copies of affected systems to preserve volatile and non-volatile data for detailed investigation. This supports root cause analysis, compliance audits, and potential legal proceedings.
Data Restoration & Business Recovery:
Where viable backups exist, we prioritize restoration of systems and data to get you operational as quickly as possible — while continuing to monitor and secure the restored environment.

What We Deliver

Rapid threat containment and isolation
Secure “green zone” deployment for business continuity
Full network and asset discovery during initial response
Forensic preservation of compromised systems
Breach and malware investigation
Restoration of services from backups (if available)
Compliance-ready documentation and incident reports

Our team works in close coordination with your internal stakeholders, legal advisors, and IT staff — ensuring a coherent, technically sound, and fully documented response from start to finish.

Backup Architecture & Planning

Backup strategy and advisory services

Choosing the right backup solution is critical — but not every organization has the time, expertise, or vendor independence to make fully informed decisions. Our Backup Strategy & Advisory Services are designed to help businesses implement tailored, effective, and scalable backup solutions, whether on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments.

Independent, Vendor-Neutral Guidance

We act as your independent backup advisor — not tied to any specific vendor or platform. Our goal is to analyze your organization’s size, data types, operational requirements, and regulatory obligations, then design a backup architecture that fits your unique needs and budget.

This includes:

Assessing current backup methods and identifying gaps
Recommending optimal technologies for on-premises, cloud, or hybrid backup models
Helping define retention policies, recovery objectives (RTO/RPO), and compliance requirements
Coordinating implementation with your internal IT team or third-party providers
Supporting documentation and backup validation procedures

Once the solution is selected and approved, we support your IT team during rollout — ensuring the system is properly configured, tested, and ready for production use.

When to Use Our Backup Consulting Services

You’re unsure whether to use local, cloud, or hybrid backups
You’re replacing legacy backup software or hardware
You need to align your backup strategy with compliance frameworks (e.g., HIPAA, ISO 27001, SOC 2)
You want a second opinion before committing to a vendor
You’re planning a data migration or infrastructure upgrade

By separating the advisory role from implementation or product resale, we ensure that our recommendations are based on what’s best for your business — not on what we’re trying to sell.

Regulatory Compliance

In today’s data-driven world, organizations are expected — and in many cases legally required — to handle sensitive information in strict accordance with regional and industry-specific data protection laws. Our Regulatory Compliance services help businesses classify, retain, store, and manage their data in full compliance with evolving regulations.

We specialize in aligning data handling practices with key regulatory frameworks such as:

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
NYDFS Cybersecurity Regulation
PCI-DSS, SOX, and ISO/IEC 27001

Focused on What Matters: Your Data

Our approach is data-centric. Rather than only securing access, we focus on how your data is created, labeled, retained, stored, and deleted. We help your organization answer critical questions like:

What kind of data are you storing, and where is it located?
Who has access to sensitive data, and how is that access controlled and logged?
Are you keeping regulated data longer than you are legally allowed to?
Is your data retention policy enforceable, documented, and tested?
Can you prove compliance during an audit or investigation?

Our Core Regulatory Compliance Services for Data

Data Classification Frameworks

We help you implement structured classification systems that separate data into categories such as public, internal, confidential, and regulated. This allows for granular policy enforcement and reduces risk exposure.

Data Retention Policy Design

We design and document data retention schedules that meet both business needs and legal mandates. This includes timeframes for archiving, secure storage, and defensible deletion of data.

Data Storage & Handling Compliance

Whether your data lives in on-premise servers, cloud platforms, or hybrid environments, we help ensure that it is stored securely and in compliance with data residency and privacy regulations.

Audit-Ready Documentation

We provide structured documentation — policies, procedures, and evidence — that demonstrate your organization’s compliance posture. This is essential during third-party audits, certification processes, or regulatory reviews.

Training & Internal Policy Integration

Compliance only works if it’s understood and followed. We help your team integrate data policies into daily operations and provide clarity on roles and responsibilities.

Why Choose Data Guard for Data Compliance?

Vendor-neutral expertise – we don’t push products; we build solutions tailored to your regulatory landscape.
NYC-based, globally aware – we work with clients across regulated industries in New York and beyond.
Built on experience – over 25 years of cybersecurity and data protection know-how, including work with financial institutions and SMBs.
Regulatory fluency – we track developments in data privacy laws so you stay ahead, not reactive.

Data protection services in New York City