CDS Defence & Security launches new digital forensics lab

The state-of-the-art DFU has been two years in the making and is the firm’s newest cyber security capability — expanding the services it already offers existing DS customers to now include the police and law enforcement sectors.

“Our digital forensics lab and capabilities play a key part in the strategy to expand our cyber security and information assurance services,” explained Martin Nash, head of cyber security and information assurance (CS&IA) services at CDS DS.

“Law enforcement have publicly declared significant backlogs in the digital forensic evidential examination of electronic devices, and we’re here to support them in tackling this effectively.

“Our DFU enables us to maintain the integrity in the chain of evidence for devices, while quickly and efficiently analysing and reporting our findings with accurate results.”

The DFU is fully operational and working both in line with and towards ISO 17025 accreditation, as required by the police sectors, with certification expected imminently.

“While law enforcement and policing are our core focus at present,” continued Martin, “digital forensics is integral across most sectors, and we aim to expand into these over the coming months.

“We have a very talented, highly-qualified, and extremely experienced team who are driving our digital forensic service provision forward — many of whom have a background in law enforcement.

“All our specialists hold high levels of security clearance and can operate from our certified, security-cleared HQ in Cheltenham, as well as integrating into our customers’ teams and facilities.”

CDS DS’s cyber security and information assurance services business unit was established in January 2020, and since then, the team has tripled the number of staff — to 36 and growing — and the business unit’s revenue to £3.25m in 2022. This is expected to reach £4.2m by the end of 2023.

The entire company — comprising four business units in total — continues to increase its revenue year on year, growing to just over £15m in 2022, with ambitious plans for further growth.

The full list of digital forensic services span expert single point of contact, computer, network, mobile device, and cloud forensics, expert witnesses, data recovery consultancy, and training.

And alongside its DFU, CDS DS provides broader specialist expertise in insider threat/risk, cyber security risk and governance, and ethical hacking/penetration testing. It can also certify organisations under the Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus scheme.