Forensic data recovery is recovery done to evidential standards — where how the data was handled matters as much as what was recovered. Every step is documented, the original is never altered, and the results are prepared to stand up to scrutiny. We handle digital evidence for legal, HR, insurance and dispute cases, in-house and in confidence.
$ bdr image /dev/sdb → Device: Seized laptop HDD (1 TB) → Status: WRITE-BLOCKED — forensic image → Case: civil dispute · ref 2026-014 $ bdr engineer-working → Image hash: SHA-256 verified · matches source → Deleted files: 4,210 recovered → Artifacts: timestamps + metadata preserved $ bdr verify → ✓ documents — 18,900 recovered → ✓ deleted items — carved + dated → ✓ findings — recovered intact
The moment someone browses a device to “have a look,” they change it — timestamps move, files are opened, and the evidential value drops. If data may be needed as evidence, stop using the device, don't let anyone examine it, note who has had access, and hand it to us so a defensible copy can be taken before anything is analysed.
Forensic recovery is called for whenever data needs to be recovered and presented in a way that will hold up. These are the situations we're brought in on most.
We examine digital evidence from every kind of computer and storage device — the sources that hold the data a case turns on.
Computers and laptops · hard drives and SSDs · external drives and USB devices · memory cards · and server and NAS storage.
Forensic work follows a defensible chain from the moment a device arrives. We record its condition, take a write-blocked forensic image, work only on that image, and document every step so the results hold up — in court if it comes to it.
We log the device, its condition and everyone who handles it from the moment it reaches us, so its handling is documented and defensible.
We take a forensic image using write blockers, so the original is never altered, and verify the copy with a hash to prove it matches the source exactly.
All analysis and recovery happens on the verified image, leaving the original device untouched and preserved as evidence.
We recover deleted files, records and fragments, and examine unallocated space for what was meant to be gone.
We examine the data for what's relevant — files, access times, activity — and reconstruct a timeline of events.
We produce a clear, factual report of what was found and how, written to be understood by non-technical readers and to withstand challenge.
We return the findings, the report and the preserved original, and can explain the results if the matter goes further.
From computers and drives to USB devices and server storage, we recover and examine digital evidence — write-blocked, hashed and fully documented — and prepare findings to the standards expected by the courts in Northern Ireland.
Describe what went wrong and an engineer will be in touch — normally before the next working day is out.
We will get back to you soon. If it is urgent, call 028 9002 0144.
Everything begins with a free, confidential conversation, followed by a fixed quote in writing. Basic forensic recovery is £800 + VAT flat; device count, scope, and any need for reporting or expert testimony shape the final figure.
A representative selection of forensic cases — case types and outcomes shown only in general terms, with all client and party details kept strictly confidential.
We recovered the deleted documents from a write-blocked image and documented the finding, with its chain of custody, for the client's solicitor.
Analysis of the device showed which files had been copied to external storage, and when, presented in a report suitable for proceedings.
We reconstructed what had happened on the machine and when, and set it out clearly and factually for the court.
Reviews from solicitors, businesses and individuals we provided forensic recovery for.
No invented reviews here. We're collecting verified, named reviews from our Belfast customers and will publish them here as they come in. In the meantime you're welcome to call and talk an issue through with an engineer on 028 9002 0144.
Post or drop in your device for a free diagnostic, with a note on what happened — an engineer reviews it and confirms your exact quote in writing before any work begins.
First step: get the device onto our Belfast bench. Wrap it well, tuck your contact details in the box, and post it over — the diagnostic costs nothing, and you’ll have a firm written price to approve before we touch a single sector.
Posting it? A tracked, insured service is best. Dropping it off instead? You’re welcome Monday–Friday, 9am–5:30pm — please still pack the device as above.
Not ready to send anything yet? Use the form to describe the fault in your own words and one of the engineers will come back with a quote tailored to your situation.
We will get back to you soon. If it is urgent, call 028 9002 0144.
The questions we're asked most about forensic data recovery.
The recovery techniques overlap, but forensic work adds an evidential discipline: a documented chain of custody, write-blocked imaging that never alters the original, hash verification, and a report of what was found and how. It's recovery carried out so the results can be relied on, not just retrieved.
That's the point of doing it forensically. We preserve the original, work only on a verified image, and document every step, so the evidence and how it was obtained can withstand challenge — and we prepare our findings to the standards expected by the courts in Northern Ireland.
It's a documented record of who handled the device, when, and what was done to it. It matters because evidence can be challenged if its handling isn't accounted for — a clear chain of custody shows the data wasn't tampered with between seizure and analysis.
Often, yes. Examining a device can reveal deleted files, traces of files copied to USB or cloud storage, and access times that help build a timeline of activity. What's recoverable depends on the device and how it was used, which we'll assess at the outset.
Entirely. Forensic cases are handled in strict confidence, and our representative examples are described only in general terms — no client, party or case detail is ever published. We're registered with the ICO (reg. ZC173784) and handle all data accordingly.
The consultation is free and confidential, and basic forensic work runs to a fixed £800 + VAT. Beyond that, cost tracks the job: how many devices, how wide the scope, and whether you need a formal report or an expert witness — all laid out in writing before we start.
Call us on 028 9002 0144 or come into our Belfast office to discuss it in confidence first. Preserve the device as it is in the meantime — don't let anyone examine it — and note who has had access, so we can take a defensible image before anything is analysed.
The device is imaged under a write-blocker so the original is never altered, and the image is hashed to prove it hasn’t changed since capture. Analysis then happens on that image: live files, deleted material carved from unallocated space, and timestamps or user activity where the case calls for it. Every step is logged to a chain of custody, and findings are written up so they can be relied on in proceedings.
Recovered to evidential standards — write-blocked, documented, and prepared for the courts in Northern Ireland. Preserve the device, don't examine it, and talk to us in confidence. Free, confidential consultation first.