Can you come on site?

We look at that case by case. The security situation, insurance and travel advice all play a part. When it is not possible, we guide your own people remotely through making a copy.

What about sanctions and export rules?

We check beforehand whether the case falls within the applicable rules and which documents are needed for shipment and return. If it falls outside those rules, we do not take the case.

How do I send a device safely?

Pack it dry and shock-proof, do not start it, and seal it. We provide the instructions and, if needed, a sealing form for the chain of custody.

Which languages can we use?

Dutch, French, English and German. For cases from abroad the exchange usually happens in English.

Data recovery from conflict and crisis areas • Datarecuperatie

What this is about

We have handled cases from conflict areas, among others during the war in Iraq. They come from organisations and companies working on the ground whose systems get damaged or have to be evacuated.

aid organisations and NGOs with case files and footage
media and journalists with recordings and archives
embassies, international institutions and their contractors
companies with a site, project or installation in the area
security and investigation files where evidence must be preserved

What is wrong with such devices

Dust and sand

Fine dust gets into enclosures and fans, and scratches platters while they spin.

Heat

Prolonged heat attacks electronics and bearings; a drive that still spins often already reads with errors.

Power cuts and surges

Generators and unstable grids damage circuit boards and stop writes halfway.

Shock and blast

Heads touching the platters, broken bearings, cracked boards.

Water and extinguishing agents

Corrosion, which keeps going day after day as long as the drive is untreated.

Do not wait: corrosion and dust keep doing damage after the event. Keep the device dry and cool, and do not start it again.

How such a case runs in practice

Contact and assessment By phone or email we go through the device, its condition and the circumstances. We say straight away what to do, and what not to do, on the ground.
Check beforehand We check whether the case falls within the applicable sanctions and export rules, and which documents are needed. If it does not fit, we say so honestly.
To the lab Shipment with a courier serving the area, hand-carried by a returning colleague, or handover in a neighbouring country. We provide the packing and sealing instructions.
Imaging on the ground If the device cannot leave, we guide your own people through making a write-protected copy, which you send encrypted.
Recovery In our lab in Ypres, with a chain of custody where an investigation or an insurer requires it.
Return Data encrypted, on a device or through a secure transfer; originals returned or destroyed with a certificate, as you choose.

Confidentiality and risk

encrypted storage and separate keeping of this kind of case
no transfer to third parties; everything stays in our own lab
non-disclosure agreement on request
destruction of all working copies afterwards, with a certificate
clear agreements beforehand on who may receive the data

Whether we can come on site depends on the security situation, insurance and travel advice. Often a secure shipment or remote guidance is the faster and wiser route.

Why it works here

More about our lab →

Nearly 20,000 donor drives The right part is usually ready.
X-ray in-house First see, then act.
Rework and reballing Chips removed and refitted safely.
Our own software Up to hundreds of terabytes.
Mobile cleanroom The device stays in your building.
Since 1988 Nearly forty years of equipment and experience.

A case from a crisis area?

Get in touch before you do anything with the device. We say straight away what to do on the ground, and how the device reaches us safely.

free analysis request → +32 (0)800 11 400