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Price of forensic software

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(@jimmyw)
Trusted Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 64
 

The price is entirely reasonable, in my opinion, in either the LE or non-LE edition. If you consider how many Internet artifacts it may carve, I know of no other tool that comes close. I've spent countless hours writing regexes in efforts to scavenge a system. Moreover, hand-carving artifacts is one thing, but putting them into a customer-friendly report is another. IEF does both. More importantly, in my tests, I found IEF reliable with respect to the artifacts that I sought.

I'm interesting in testing the portable edition on shadow volumes. One thing that I'm curious about is whether I will find more than a modest amount of redundancy. While specific objects are, by default, excluded from volume snapshots, I haven't seen anything conclusive about which files/folders are not snapshotted. For example, I would not think that Internet cache should be shadowed. So, when examining those files in a shadow, are you seeing the previous version or the current?


   
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jekyll
(@jekyll)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 60
 

I'm an original IEF v3 user and I jumped straight onto V4. It's an excellent tool, I use it a lot and I think the price rise brings IEF into line with the value it adds.

All these artefacts can be manually carved out using open source tools, but IEF adds a way to do it quickly, easily and with a nice report output. Just think, if it saves a couple of hours in a year in analysis time, it's paid for itself.


   
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(@belkasoft)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 169
 

Has any one else noticed the prices for a new licence of Internet Evidence Finder?

In November 2009 I bought one license for $30.00 Canadian dollars. Right now a new license would cost me $500.00 Canadian dollars. We all need to make a living, but a 1,600% increase?

😯

Our Belkasoft Browser Analyzer (http//belkasoft.com/bba/en/Browser_Analyzer.asp) maybe a little bit less powerful but much cheaper, so you can try it. Also, you are welcome to write us what features our software lacks to be a good replacement for IEF. We will try to implement such features ASAP.


   
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(@douglasbrush)
Prominent Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 812
 

Dang! That is a BIG jump…..however how many hours have I billed based on its use and/or results…Considering I do a lot of web/Internet artifact investigations I can justify it as much as it hurts considering when I got the email about v4 I was budgeting in my head under $100

Just hope it doesn't go the route of abandonware if Jad makes the price point at the level. We have seen this in other pieces of software unfortunately…


   
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(@forensicakb)
Reputable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 316
 

Hi Jimmy,

You are saying the price is entirely reasonable in your opinion, but do you or does Montana pay for it.

Makes a huge difference in saying if something is reasonable or not. It's reasonable for me to drive a Porsche if someone else is paying, a Volkswagen if I'm paying.

The price is entirely reasonable, in my opinion, in either the LE or non-LE edition. If you consider how many Internet artifacts it may carve, I know of no other tool that comes close. I've spent countless hours writing regexes in efforts to scavenge a system. Moreover, hand-carving artifacts is one thing, but putting them into a customer-friendly report is another. IEF does both. More importantly, in my tests, I found IEF reliable with respect to the artifacts that I sought.

I'm interesting in testing the portable edition on shadow volumes. One thing that I'm curious about is whether I will find more than a modest amount of redundancy. While specific objects are, by default, excluded from volume snapshots, I haven't seen anything conclusive about which files/folders are not snapshotted. For example, I would not think that Internet cache should be shadowed. So, when examining those files in a shadow, are you seeing the previous version or the current?


   
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(@forensicakb)
Reputable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 316
 

Ur right Doug, it's a huge jump. If people would not buy it that would settle the price down quickly. But LE will purchase it and make them think its the right price point.

quote="douglasbrush"]Dang! That is a BIG jump…..however how many hours have I billed based on its use and/or results…Considering I do a lot of web/Internet artifact investigations I can justify it as much as it hurts considering when I got the email about v4 I was budgeting in my head under $100

Just hope it doesn't go the route of abandonware if Jad makes the price point at the level. We have seen this in other pieces of software unfortunately…


   
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gblack
(@gblack)
Eminent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 28
 

You are saying the price is entirely reasonable in your opinion, but do you or does Montana pay for it.

Makes a huge difference in saying if something is reasonable or not. It's reasonable for me to drive a Porsche if someone else is paying, a Volkswagen if I'm paying.

I understand your point, and I have felt your pain, but I'm not sure that's completely fair. Whether an agency/company is paying for it or an independent contractor / small business, we all have budgets to deal with. Some are luckier than others - you can't make a blanket statement that all LE agencies can and will pay $500 for a given piece of software. I know plenty of very small departments that would be lucky to have $1000 to spend on software for an entire year. That makes it difficult to keep maintenance on software and buy new things as well.

I make tradeoffs every day when deciding whether something is a worthwhile purchase. Even though the money isn't directly coming out of my wallet at my day job, the more I spend, the less money is left at the end of the year for other things.


   
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(@forensicakb)
Reputable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 316
 

I believe it is fair, and Jimmy knows what I'm talking about. The difference between budgets of a small person and a government agency is huge. For one, look how many people on here are flat broke, can't even afford license upgrades, but even the smallest government agency gets a budget, so they have something to work with.

There was no malice in the comment.

You are saying the price is entirely reasonable in your opinion, but do you or does Montana pay for it.

Makes a huge difference in saying if something is reasonable or not. It's reasonable for me to drive a Porsche if someone else is paying, a Volkswagen if I'm paying.

I understand your point, and I have felt your pain, but I'm not sure that's completely fair. Whether an agency/company is paying for it or an independent contractor / small business, we all have budgets to deal with. Some are luckier than others - you can't make a blanket statement that all LE agencies can and will pay $500 for a given piece of software. I know plenty of very small departments that would be lucky to have $1000 to spend on software for an entire year. That makes it difficult to keep maintenance on software and buy new things as well.

I make tradeoffs every day when deciding whether something is a worthwhile purchase. Even though the money isn't directly coming out of my wallet at my day job, the more I spend, the less money is left at the end of the year for other things.


   
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jhup
 jhup
(@jhup)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1442
 

I do not have an issue with very unique, specialized products to pay additional money.

I do have a problem with paying ridiculously high price for something where competitors offer similar products for a fraction of the cost.

Yes, I do take my business elsewhere, but I do like competition.

For example, right now I am looking at a product and my cost ranges from $50 to $3,000 for the same result . . .

What business sense is to price something at $3K? Of course I will not buy the pricier product.

And, no; this is not a case where the inexpensive product is from a single guy writing it in a basement (albeit let's not forget most of our better code for our industry is written by such individuals). It is just the opposite. Expensive product by small firm, inexpensive by large firm . . .

Go figure.


   
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(@forensicakb)
Reputable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 316
 

Good one Jhup. That's what everyone has to do.

I suspect they will come in and make some price reduction, but IMHO the damage is already done.

It's grossly overpriced.


   
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