11/18/2009 11:41:00 AM Computer hacker vows to trap love rats
Super sleuth: Lorenzo Tucker can retrieve e-mails that have been deleted so suspicious spouses or bosses can check if a partner or employee is cheating or giving away trade secrets to the competition.
Cheating spouses and staff better watch out - a computer service can expose your devious tricks.
Lorenzo Tucker's firm Bermuda Computer Forensics and Investigations (BCFI) can help suspicious partners and firms catch out love rats and crooked employees.
Even if they have deleted an incriminating e-mail or text message from a computer or cellphone, it can still be retrieved.
Mr. Tucker said: "In most cases, when people delete or encrypt stuff they think it's safe but forensically it can be brought back and investigated.
"They are using this to catch a lot of criminals."
Mr. Tucker is a computer security expert who has worked at Bank of Bermuda, Butterfield Bank and XL Capital.He launched BCFI last month.
He said: "This is a valuable service for the police, lawyers and insurance companies.
"But anybody who suspects employees are doing malicious stuff or not conforming to policy can use my forensic service."
Mr. Tucker examines computers, cellphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
He can even check if a significant other is being faithful.
Mr. Tucker said: "That's where the big business is, especially in this day and age.
"If someone suspects their husband or wife is doing something untoward, they can hire me to come in to take a look at the computer."
Mr. Tucker has always been interested in computer security measures but while working at banks, he was trying to keep people out rather than trying to break in.
The idea to start his own business came from a chat with a friend.
Mr. Tucker said: "He had a friend who suspected a business partner of using computer resources for her personal use.
"Neither one of us could think of anyone who she could turn to investigate this.
"I thought to myself, this is a field in Bermuda that is needed. I went away, got industry certifications and decided to give it a try to see if there is a market for it."
Mr Tucker is a certified computer forensic examiner (CCFE) and certified hacking forensic investigator (CHFI).
He said: "Most of my business will probably end up being home computer investigations.
"I have done a few of these with husbands and wives suspicious of each other."
When asked if he found out if they were being faithful, Mr. Tucker laughed.
He said: "I found some suspicious activity.
"Whether they were being unfaithful or not, that's up for them to decide."
Some of his evidence included e-mails of clandestine meetings.
"There were also inappropriate pictures," he added. Mr. Tucker said it is illegal for him to examine computers or phones not owned by the individual or company seeking an investigation.
He added: "I cannot do that because it is not your property.
"If it's a joint computer or a joint cellphone, that's a different story."
Businesses can use him to see if staff are using company computers to start new businesses or sell trade secrets to a rival firm.
Mr. Tucker said: "That's quite common - people who are trying to play both sides of the fence."
Mr. Tucker's training means he follows specific procedures that make the evidence he gathers admissible in a court of law.
For more information visit www.bdacomputerforensics.com
