Cooperation Foundation Promotes Imaging and Forensic Support Within 5 Million Won Limit
"Data Preservation... Minimizing Evidence Tampering"
A pathway has opened for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that anticipate or have suffered technology leaks to receive support for evidence preservation.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Foundation for Large and Small Business, Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the Cooperation Foundation) announced on the 10th that the scope of the digital forensic support project will be expanded to include 'digital evidence preservation (imaging)' to prevent the destruction of evidence related to technology leaks.
Digital imaging refers to a technology that replicates digital data exactly as it is in all aspects, including content and format, and stores it on another digital storage medium. SMEs can receive support by choosing either ① digital evidence preservation (imaging) or ② digital forensics within a limit of 5 million KRW.
The existing digital forensic support project has been helping resolve disputes such as lawsuits and investigations related to technology leaks. For example, mold manufacturing company C confirmed that after all employees resigned, they started a competing business producing the same products.
Company C applied for forensic support to secure evidence of technology leakage and recovered and analyzed data from the work laptop used by the resigned employees.
As a result, multiple instances of unauthorized removal of company confidential files unrelated to work were discovered. Company C submitted this as key evidence to investigative authorities, and the case was forwarded to the prosecution.
However, even when digital forensics was conducted, there were cases where records were damaged, making analysis impossible.
Attorney A, a specialist in technology infringement cases, stated, "There have been cases where digital evidence was destroyed, such as all PC records of resigned personnel being deleted, preventing appropriate legal action."
He emphasized the importance of digital evidence preservation, saying, "If the company had taken preservation measures for devices used by resigned personnel as a preventive measure, the outcome might have been different."
Kim Young-chan, Secretary General of the Cooperation Foundation, said, "By preserving data from digital devices used by key personnel in advance, we will minimize evidence destruction and actively support timely utilization of key evidence."
Detailed information about the project can be found through the Cooperation Foundation’s Win-Win Mediation Support Department or the Technology Protection Fence website.
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