Independent technical practice

Independent digital forensics since 1992

GDF examines digital records to establish what happened and explain the supporting evidence.

Boardroom table prepared for a technical briefing.

The firm

A brief history

Founded in 1992 as Learning Curve, the practice evolved into Global Digital Forensics as technology and client needs changed. Today, GDF brings together digital evidence analysis, cybersecurity and expert testimony for attorneys, businesses and other organizations.

Our work brings together digital forensics, eDiscovery and expert testimony with cybersecurity, SCADA and OT assessments, and AI security. We help counsel understand the evidence and technology leaders assess the systems they depend on.

Today the firm operates from 16 regional offices with a 24/7 hotline, and covers digital forensics and expert witness work, biometrics and identity sciences, critical infrastructure and OT security, cyber due diligence, executive cyber risk advisory, and AI and deepfake analysis.

People

Team

The people behind the findings

Meet three of our forensic experts.

Joseph Caruso

Founder, CEO and CTO

Joseph Caruso is the founder, CEO and CTO of Global Digital Forensics. His technology career began in 1980 and spans software development, mainframe databases, real-time transaction systems, mobile devices, cellular networks and cybersecurity incident response. That engineering background informs his examination of how systems work, where evidence is stored and what the available records can establish.

Joseph supports counsel in technology disputes involving source code, databases, digital evidence and complex business systems. His experience includes IBM mainframe environments, mobile operating systems and the analysis of security incidents. He explains technical methods and findings in terms that attorneys and other decision-makers can evaluate.

His consulting-expert experience includes Motorola Mobility v. Microsoft and Apple v. Samsung patent litigation. His work in an American Express consumer class action involved airline reservation architecture, real-time transactions, mainframe databases, source code and system configuration. His Bank One shareholder class-action work involved credit-card transaction and deposit systems.

Education

Joseph holds a dual BA/BS in mathematics and engineering physics from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Certifications and technical training

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), ISC2.
  • Certified Forensic Examiner.
  • Training in EnCase Enterprise, AccessData and open-source forensic tools.

Selected case experience

  • Rogers v. BNSF Railway: biometric-information litigation.
  • Motorola Mobility v. Microsoft and Apple v. Samsung: consulting-expert work involving mobile technology.
  • American Express consumer class action: analysis of reservation systems, mainframe databases and source code.
  • Bank One shareholder litigation: analysis of credit-card transaction and deposit systems.
Discuss a technical dispute

Veronica Perez

Senior Computer Forensic Specialist

Veronica Perez is a Senior Computer Forensic Specialist whose work focuses on the collection, preservation and examination of mobile-device evidence. Her experience covers laboratory and field examinations, location artifacts, vehicle systems and electronic records used in litigation.

Before her private-sector work, Veronica served with the Los Angeles School Police Department from 2001 to 2007 and the West Covina Police Department from 2007 to 2016. That experience informs her approach to evidence custody, documentation and forensic analysis. She has provided mobile-forensics instruction for the California Department of Justice Advanced Training Center and Teel Technologies, including practical assistance to examiners handling difficult acquisitions.

Her technical background includes developing utilities for processing mobile data and training in JTAG, chip-off, in-system programming, vehicle forensics, microsoldering and embedded-hardware analysis. She helps attorneys evaluate device evidence, plan collections and understand the capabilities and limitations of the available methods.

Certifications and technical training

  • EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), Guidance Software, listed in 2009.
  • Paraben Certified Mobile Phone Examiner (CME), listed in 2008.
  • Cellebrite CCLO/CCPA, listed in 2014.
  • California Department of Justice training in computer-crime examinations and cell-phone forensics, with instructor experience beginning in 2012.
  • Teel Technologies training in JTAG, chip-off, in-system programming, vehicle forensics and embedded-hardware analysis.
  • Oxygen Forensics Bootcamp (2023) and iPadRehab microsoldering training (2024).

Court and matter experience

Veronica has been designated as a digital-forensics expert witness in California, Oklahoma and South Carolina superior courts and in federal court in Chicago. Her work for attorneys, law-enforcement agencies, corporations and insurers includes fraud, intellectual-property theft, trade-secret disputes, employee disputes, patent and copyright matters, family law and breach-of-contract matters. Her examinations include mobile communications, application activity and location records.

Discuss device evidence

Robert Knudsen

Computer Forensics and Cybersecurity Specialist

Robert Knudsen, also known as Bob, is a computer forensics and cybersecurity specialist. He has 18 years of forensic experience and hundreds of computer and mobile-device examinations supporting matters in federal and state courts throughout the United States.

Before entering computer forensics, Bob spent four years supporting computer and network operations as a field technician and manager. He previously served for twenty years with the New York City Police Department, where his work included designing and deploying a database for compiling crime statistics.

His background brings together practical knowledge of business systems, digital examinations and law-enforcement documentation. His listed qualifications include the Certified Computer Examiner credential and training or certifications covering information security, forensic examination, networking and endpoint security.

Certifications

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), ISC2.
  • Certified Computer Examiner (CCE), International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners (ISFCE).
  • Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), EC-Council.
  • CompTIA Security+, Network+ and A+.
  • Stellar Cyber Certified Associate.
  • Microsoft Certified Professional and Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS).

His additional training includes OpenEDR through Xcitium Academy.

Court and examination experience

Bob has conducted hundreds of computer and mobile-device examinations supporting federal and state court matters across the United States. His experience combines forensic examination with hands-on support of business computer and network environments and twenty years of NYPD service.

Discuss an examination

Ask for a current CV and experience relevant to your matter. Expert selection and availability are confirmed during scoping.

Find the right expertise for your matter.

Tell us about the evidence, technical question and deadline. We can discuss the scope and relevant qualifications.

Discuss your matter with our team

Standards

Credentials & certifications

  • Court-qualified expert witnesses

    Examiners who have been accepted by courts, deposed and cross-examined, in civil and criminal matters.

  • Certified forensic examiners

    Practitioners holding recognized digital forensic examiner certifications and vendor tool certifications for the platforms used in acquisition and analysis.

  • Biometrics and identity science

    We examine biometric scanners, the applications that use them, and the databases that store biometric templates and images. Our work addresses how biometric identity data is collected, used, protected and potentially compromised.

  • Documented methodology

    Written acquisition, hashing, chain-of-custody and reporting procedures applied to every engagement and produced on request.

  • Standards alignment

    Analysis and reporting aligned to accepted forensic practice and to the framework the matter or regulator requires.

  • Confidentiality by default

    Engagements are handled confidentially. Public case references describe selected experience without disclosing confidential client information.

The engagement record identifies the examiner, methodology and credentials relevant to the matter. Supporting credential evidence is available during scoping and expert qualification.

Coverage

Locations

Sixteen listed locations and one 24/7 hotline: 1-800-868-8189 · International +1.727.287.6000. Ask about response coverage for the location and systems involved.

Working with us

Partnership Program

We work as the forensics, deepfake and critical infrastructure capability behind law firms, insurers, breach coaches, managed service providers and consultancies. They work under their engagement while keeping their client relationship intact.

Discuss partnership program

Knowledge transfer

Training

We deliver practitioner and executive training on digital evidence handling, incident readiness and operational technology security, from courtroom-facing evidence workshops for counsel to tabletop exercises for utility and board audiences.

Discuss training

Firm background

Practice, training and partnerships

Background on how the practice developed and how related work is organized.

How the practice was built

Founded in 1992 as Learning Curve, the practice evolved into Global Digital Forensics as technology and client needs changed. Today, GDF brings together digital evidence analysis, cybersecurity and expert testimony for attorneys, businesses and other organizations.

Training that is vendor neutral

The computer forensics and electronic discovery curriculum teaches examination by hand before tooling: the history behind current procedure, disk and file system storage including FAT and NTFS structures, recovery from slack and unallocated space, and the accepted principles that keep an examination defensible. The course emphasizes explaining and checking results rather than relying on one vendor's product.

Partnership program

Qualified forensic and security practitioners can deliver work locally under the firm's engagement, methodology and management, with no quotas and no participation fees. Because partners are trusted with confidential client matters, final applicants are background checked.

Talk with an examiner

Discuss the matter and the next step.

Call to discuss timing, scope and the safest way to share information. Do not send evidence or credentials by email.

24/7 hotline: 1-800-868-8189

Match the examiner and arrangements to the matter

The firm's history and listed credentials provide background. The engagement should identify the person who will perform the work, the qualifications relevant to the evidence and any specialist participation. A historical credential or broad service name does not establish support for every tool, device or technical question.

  • For an examination, agree the evidence question, source access, preservation method and written output before transferring material.
  • For testimony, request the proposed expert's current CV, relevant experience and disclosure requirements through counsel.
  • For a visit or collection, confirm the appointment, receiving person, location, transport and custody arrangements. Regional service coverage does not mean every destination is a walk-in laboratory.
  • For partner-led work, identify the qualified participant, responsibility for the report and any separate safety or regulated-data role.

Regional service and collection planning ยท Find the forensic specialty

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