Email Forensics
Office 365 & Email Investigation Experts
Email systems are central to business operations—and to investigations. Our forensic examiners recover, preserve, and analyze email evidence from Office 365, Google Workspace, Exchange, and other platforms with court-admissible methodologies.
What is Email Forensics?
Email forensics involves the systematic recovery, preservation, and analysis of email communications and metadata for investigations and legal proceedings. This includes examining message content, attachments, headers, delivery paths, and timestamps to reconstruct events, identify perpetrators, and establish timelines. Our examiners work with cloud platforms (Office 365, Google Workspace), on-premises Exchange servers, and email archives to extract evidence that withstands legal scrutiny.
When Do You Need Email Forensics?
- Business Email Compromise (BEC) investigation to trace wire fraud
- Litigation requiring preservation and production of email evidence
- Insider threat investigation involving email exfiltration
- HR matters such as harassment claims or policy violations
- Compliance investigations requiring email audit trails
Our Email Forensics Process
Legal Preservation
Implement litigation holds and forensically preserve email data with documented chain of custody.
Data Collection
Export and acquire email data from cloud platforms, servers, or archives using forensic tools.
Analysis & Recovery
Analyze headers, trace message routing, recover deleted emails, and examine attachments.
Reporting & Testimony
Deliver detailed forensic reports with expert witness testimony for litigation matters.
Email Forensics FAQ
Can you recover deleted emails from Office 365?
In many cases, yes. Office 365 retains deleted items for a period based on retention policies—typically 14-30 days in Deleted Items, plus additional time in Recoverable Items. Beyond that, recovery depends on whether litigation holds, retention policies, or backups were in place. We can assess recovery potential during initial consultation.
How do you investigate Business Email Compromise (BEC)?
We trace BEC attacks by analyzing email headers to identify spoofing or account takeover, examining login logs to determine unauthorized access, reviewing mail rules created by attackers, and reconstructing the timeline of fraudulent communications. We work with law enforcement and financial institutions on fund recovery efforts.
What email platforms do you support?
We investigate Microsoft 365/Office 365, Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange, IMAP-based systems, and email archives. We also examine personal email providers when legally authorized and work with backup solutions like Barracuda, Mimecast, and Proofpoint archiving.
Can email evidence be used in court?
Yes, when properly collected and authenticated. We use forensically sound methods that preserve metadata, maintain chain of custody, and produce evidence that meets court requirements. Our examiners have testified about email evidence in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and depositions.
How long does email forensics take?
Timeline depends on scope—the number of mailboxes, date range, and complexity of the investigation. Simple matters may take 3-5 days; complex investigations with multiple custodians can take 2-4 weeks. We provide timeline estimates after scoping the engagement.
Need Email Evidence Examined?
Our forensic examiners are ready to assist with BEC investigations, litigation support, and compliance matters.