The entrepreneur: Gary Kessler, 52, is an associate professor of computer science at Champlain College in Burlington, Vt.
The business: Mr. Kessler has worked as a computer-forensics consultant on the side for the past five years. Computer forensics is the process of gathering evidence from a computer. “Frequently, you are looking at files that someone thinks are deleted,” Mr. Kessler says. “It turns out that when you use a computer almost everything you do leaves traces, and it is next to impossible to delete information from a computer.”
His primary clients are Burlington-area law firms involved in civil litigation, such as cases involving hacking and embezzlement. “But, for better or for worse, most of the cases I have been involved in lately are divorce cases that have turned ugly and [the lawyers] feel there is critical information on the computers,” Mr. Kessler says.
archie on December 2nd, 2005 at 8:21 pm
your blog is very impressive. Do you have any books on entrepreneurial opportunities? if not , u should write one!
Frank Ross on December 3rd, 2005 at 10:05 am
There is only one way to really rid your computer of data. Physically destroy the hard drive(s). Here is one such service that does this:
http://www.harddrivedestroyer.com/
I think these services work by removing the magnetic disc itself and actually shredding it. Mr. Kessler might not appreciate me posting this for his purposes, but for anyone concerned with the sensitivity of certain business data, this illustrates that it is necessary to properly destroy your hard drive when the computer is retired and/or the hard drive fails - don’t just format it and toss it.