Computer forensics is the practice of collecting, analyzing, and reporting on digital data in a way that is legally admissible. It involves preserving, recovering, and investigating computer systems, networks, wireless communications, and storage devices in a way that is admissible as evidence in a court of law. Computer forensics has become increasingly important in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes (What Is Computer Forensics?, 2023). With the proliferation of computers, mobile devices, and the internet, computer crimes and cyber attacks have also risen. Computer forensics provides the tools and techniques to properly investigate these crimes and allow the facts of a case to be uncovered.
Cost Factors
There are several key factors that contribute to the cost of a computer forensic investigation, including hardware, software, and labor costs. Hardware costs include purchasing forensic workstations, write blockers, and storage devices to securely collect and analyze data. Many investigations also require specialized forensic software, which can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars depending on the specific tools needed.
However, the biggest cost driver for most investigations is labor. Forensic analysts typically charge $100-$300 per hour, with costs quickly adding up for complex, long-running investigations. The experience level of the forensic examiner also affects rates. While junior examiners may charge around $100 per hour, senior examiners with court experience and certifications can charge over $300 per hour.
Investigation Types
Computer forensic investigations generally fall into several categories (Infosec Institute):
Data recovery – Recovering deleted or corrupted files that may be relevant to a case. This often involves analyzing hard drives, memory cards, and mobile devices.
eDiscovery – The process of identifying, collecting, and producing electronically stored information for use as evidence in legal cases. eDiscovery investigations involve searching through large volumes of data like emails, documents, and databases.
Malware analysis – Examining malware like viruses, ransomware, and spyware to understand its functionality and impact. This helps identify the source, determine the extent of damage, and prevent future attacks.
Network forensics – Monitoring network traffic to detect intrusions, data exfiltration, or other suspicious activities. It involves analyzing log files, packet captures, wireless traffic, and network device configurations.
Mobile forensics – Extracting and analyzing data from mobile devices like cell phones and tablets. Investigators use specialized tools to recover deleted files, texts, call logs, location history, and application data.
Labor Rates
The hourly rates for cybersecurity professionals can vary significantly depending on their role, experience, certifications, and geographic location. According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly wage for a computer forensics professional in California is $47.41 per hour as of January 2024. However, hourly rates can range from around $28 to $58 per hour for these roles in California.
For example, entry-level computer forensics analysts or examiners may charge $30-50 per hour, while senior level forensic investigators with specialized expertise may charge $100 per hour or more. Highly experienced expert witnesses for legal cases charge $200-500+ per hour. Rates also tend to be higher in large metro areas and major technology hubs.
According to one industry salary survey, the median hourly rate for a computer forensics examiner in the U.S. is approximately $61. However, 25% of examiners charge over $77 per hour. Overall, hourly rates are driven up by high demand and a limited talent pool with cybersecurity and digital forensics skills.
Flat Fees
Computer forensics companies often charge flat fees for certain services. According to Rates – Holmes Digital Investigation, the average cost for a case involving 1-2 devices is a $3,650 flat rate. The Howell Law Firm offers forensic collections at flat-fee prices per device – for example, $875 for a phone collection and $1,275 for computers. Flat fees allow the client to know the cost upfront rather than paying hourly rates. However, cases involving many devices or large amounts of data may incur additional fees beyond the flat rate.
Data Size
One major factor that impacts the cost of a computer forensic investigation is the total size of data that needs to be analyzed. Most digital forensic firms charge per gigabyte (GB) of data recovered and analyzed. According to Guardian Forensics, pricing can range from $90 – $600 per GB of data analyzed, with an average of around $250 per GB.
The more storage devices and data sources involved, the higher the overall fees will be. For small cases involving just a laptop or single hard drive, costs may start around $1,000. But for large corporate investigations involving multiple servers and databases, total fees can easily exceed $100,000 or more depending on the data size.
It’s important to provide an accurate estimate of the total data size to the forensic team ahead of time, so they can provide an accurate quote. Data from mobile devices, cloud sources, and backups will also add to the total GBs, and should be included in the initial estimates if known. Understanding these variable costs related to data size can help predict and budget for a computer forensic investigation.
Travel Costs
Digital forensic investigations frequently involve traveling to access evidence or conduct on-site analysis and acquisition. Travel costs can add significantly to the overall expenses of an investigation. Most computer forensics firms bill for travel time and expenses related to transportation, lodging, and meals.
According to SJDC Forensics, travel time is billed at 50% of the normal hourly rate. Travel and living expenses are billed at cost. Firms may also charge a per diem rate or bill actual expenses for meals, lodging, rental vehicles, mileage, and other incidentals.
The location of the evidence is a key factor in travel costs. Onsite investigations often require extended travel to remote locations which increases expenses. Cases involving multiple sites in different cities or states can rack up substantial costs quickly.
For basic computer forensics services, clients can expect to pay travel expenses of $1,000 or more depending on the distance and duration of travel required. High profile cases demanding extensive travel to multiple locations could result in tens of thousands in travel fees.
Retainers
Most computer forensic firms require an upfront payment or retainer before beginning an investigation. This helps cover their costs and ensure payment for services rendered. Typical retainers range from $1,000 to $5,000 or more depending on the scope and complexity of the case.
For example, according to the Computer Forensics Recruiter website, “Typical retainer fee charges would be around $1000 for each hard drive that is being examined.” Source
Owen Forensic Services requires a “$1,500.00 minimum initial retainer” for most digital forensic services like cell phone and computer forensics. Source
The size of the retainer often correlates to the amount of data that needs to be processed and analyzed. Larger retainers allow investigators to devote more billable hours to complex cases involving multiple devices and large data sets.
Retainers provide computer forensics firms with upfront capital to purchase hardware, software, and other resources necessary for an investigation. This allows them to promptly initiate in-depth analysis without delay.
Factors That Increase Cost
The main factors that can increase the cost of a computer forensic investigation are encryption and concealed or deleted data.
Encrypted data takes significantly longer for investigators to crack and analyze. Encryption essentially scrambles data so that it is unreadable without the proper cryptographic key. Forensic experts may need to use brute force methods to break encryption, which involves trying every possible password or key combination. This is a highly time-intensive and computationally expensive process. The more complex the encryption, the higher the cost to decrypt data during an investigation.
Similarly, concealed or deleted data adds steps and complexity to the investigation process. Investigators often need to dig into system caches, slack space, shadow copies, and backups to uncover intentionally hidden or erased information. This requires more tools, techniques, and manual analysis, again driving up costs. The more a subject attempts to cover their tracks by deleting browsing history, system logs, documents, emails etc., the more labor it takes for computer forensics experts to reconstruct events and recover critical evidence.
According to an article on Flashback Data, “Hidden costs come into play when information has been deleted, encrypted, concealed or otherwise obfuscated… The more places the [investigators] have to look to find those missing pieces, the more expensive the investigation becomes.” Dealing with encryption and reconstructing deleted data both contribute significantly to the total expense of a computer forensic investigation.
Conclusion
The total cost of a computer forensic investigation can vary substantially based on several key factors. The main drivers of cost include the type of investigation, amount of data involved, required labor and fees, travel expenses if onsite work is needed, and any special factors that increase the complexity or time requirements. Typical costs can range from a few thousand dollars for a small, straightforward case up to over $100,000 for large, complex investigations. When estimating the potential cost for a computer forensics case, it is important to consider the specific details and scope to develop an accurate quote.
In summary, the major influences on cost are:
- Investigation type and complexity
- Required processing power and data storage
- Expert labor rates and fee structure
- Travel expenses for onsite collection or testimony
- Size of the data set to be analyzed
- Retainers and per-device fees
- Factors that increase time requirements like encryption
While computer forensics can be expensive, the insights and evidence uncovered are often extremely valuable in legal proceedings, internal investigations, and data breach analysis. Understanding the likely costs involved allows organizations and individuals to plan accordingly and select qualified experts to perform the work.