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Starting a home business

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(@deerhunter)
Posts: 15
Active Member
Topic starter
 

I am thinking of starting a small home business specializing in data recovery. I have several years of law enforcement training and experience in computer forensics. I have two questions, the first one being somewhat broad. On average, how many services might I expect to perform in a month? I know this is very open ended, but I would like to hear from some of the guys who have a small business with average area competition. My second question is this, do most small data recovery businesses use open source data recovery tools? At work I use EnCase and FTK almost exclusively, but I cannot afford them right now for the business. Thank you.

 
Posted : 03/09/2009 7:08 am
(@bithead)
Posts: 1206
Noble Member
 

Probably depends where you are in Florida. Are you surrounded by blue hairs or businesses? If the first you will probably have to rely on volume.

Get in with the local computer repair shops. Do some work for them with a discount so they have margin to make a few bucks off your work.

No problem using Open Source tools. While the tools are similar, there are really better data recovery tools than EnCase and FTK.

 
Posted : 03/09/2009 8:47 am
(@patrick4n6)
Posts: 650
Honorable Member
 

If you are specialising in data recovery, get X-Ways. It gives you a similar feel to what you're used to with FTK/EnCase, but with some great data recovery features. And of course, it's a bit over 1/4 the price of the other tools. X-Ways was the first forensic / data recovery software I bought when I set up my business.

I also use a lot of open source tools, I'm just trying to maybe help you with the learning curve. You're probably going to want to use a linux based tool for imaging though since they have better ways to read the drive, and don't try to stuff around with your source drive like Windows does.

I really can't speak about what your work load would be in a market I have no dealings with.

 
Posted : 03/09/2009 9:15 am
(@ba2llb)
Posts: 38
Eminent Member
 

I am thinking of starting a small home business specializing in data recovery. I have several years of law enforcement training and experience in computer forensics.

Are you still active law enforcement or retired? If you are still active law enforcement, there might be serious legal issues arising from the business.

 
Posted : 28/11/2009 12:27 am
(@armresl)
Posts: 1011
Noble Member
 

Just curious but what does

"I am thinking of starting a small home business specializing in data recovery. I have several years of law enforcement training"

having several years of law enforcement have to do with starting a home business. If you said I have several years of law enforcement where my job is to recover data from suspect drives all day, then that would make sense. But I don't get that statement of yours, and it is said a LOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

 
Posted : 28/11/2009 12:50 am
(@deerhunter)
Posts: 15
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Just curious but what does

"I am thinking of starting a small home business specializing in data recovery. I have several years of law enforcement training"

having several years of law enforcement have to do with starting a home business. If you said I have several years of law enforcement where my job is to recover data from suspect drives all day, then that would make sense. But I don't get that statement of yours, and it is said a LOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Sorry, I thought I was being more specific when I said I had several years of law enforcement training and experience in Computer Forensics! My mistake.

 
Posted : 28/11/2009 2:50 am
(@lwynkoop1952)
Posts: 1
New Member
 

I too am looking to start my own business. I actually got lucky calling about a Private Investigator's license, and had the company suggest I start my own Forensics business, so they can send their evidence to me instead of across the country. So now I am faced with the difficult task of finding out what it truly takes to start my own business.

 
Posted : 10/07/2012 3:23 am
(@armresl)
Posts: 1011
Noble Member
 

Were you able to find anything through the custom search on this site?

I too am looking to start my own business. I actually got lucky calling about a Private Investigator's license, and had the company suggest I start my own Forensics business, so they can send their evidence to me instead of across the country. So now I am faced with the difficult task of finding out what it truly takes to start my own business.

 
Posted : 10/07/2012 7:53 am
(@larrydaniel)
Posts: 229
Reputable Member
 

A couple of things you will needif you are starting a "home business" in computer forensics

1. 2 million dollars in general liability insurance is the standard amount.
2. Errors and Omissions insurance since you are a consultant.

A business license, a federal tax ID (unless you are planning so use your social security number) and a state tax ID if required, i.e. you resale any drives or parts.

Some form of bookeeping method, manual or electronic.

A business name, even if you are a sole proprietor. Many states require that you register any assumed name, i.e. Bob's Forensics. If you operate under your given name, then you probably don't have to register it. But seek the advice of an attorney or check with your Secretary of State office for the rules.

 
Posted : 19/09/2012 7:43 am
(@shaman)
Posts: 10
Active Member
 

I am looking at starting my own business as well.

Some issues you need to keep in mind

1) If you are still in LE, you need to clear with your Agency any potential conflict of interest jobs you might have.
In my case, I am still active LE-Computer Forensics and tried to get outside employment with a retired AUSA under the PI license of a contractor for the Attorney. (In Texas, in order to do any investigative related work in the computer field you need to have a PI license). In my case, the Attorney does defense work every now and then. For this I could not clear with my Ethics Office to be employed by him.
Also, if in active LE, I doubt your Agency will allow you to do any Criminal work and/or work in the Civil area where the Government (in any stage-Fed, State, County, etc) is a party.

2) If you are going to perform investigative work in data recovery, you need to clear with State regulations about needing a PI license for that type of work. Regular data recovery family pictures, messed up MBR, accidental partition deletion, and the like, does not entail civil/criminal investigative work.

3) Like other poster mentioned, if doing investigative work, you need liability insurance and do the other steps he mentioned regarding registration of a business and tax responsibilities.

As for tools, Linux distros and Open Source software are more than capable to help you. If you don't want to dish out 1k for software, you might want to take a look at WinHex Specialist from the X-Ways Forensics people. Its basically a powerful Hex Editor with some added additional functionality like RAID reconstruction. It runs for about $250.00.

Links http//www.x-ways.net/winhex/specialist_tools.html
http//www.x-ways.net/winhex/comparison.html

Good Luck!

 
Posted : 29/09/2012 1:50 am
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