Welcome to our Dark Data Blog. I, Rob Zirnstein, have brought back some entries that I wrote in the past, and I plan to write new posts periodically. My intent is not to fill this blog with forced weekly posts, but
The Dark Data Blog
DCO vs DFA vs HPA vs UAD
In January, I wrote about Slack Space on a hard drive/thumb drive/mobile device, and today I am writing about other areas where data is hiding on a hard drive. I intentionally left Device Configuration Overlay (DCO), Disk Firmware Area (DFA)
Byte Value Distribution (BVD)
Before you can do anything with an unstructured file, you first need to identify its file type. Our products start with the following steps: Calculate hashes (MD5, SHA-1, etc.) for the entire file, and match them to known good and/or
World Backup Day
Our customer base is primarily in the Data Recovery, Data Security, Digital Forensics, Electronic Discovery and Spy Agency industries. When threatened by Hackers, Ransomware and Data Loss, what one technology is the ultimate solution to prevent the need for Data
Alternate Data Streams
In 2008, I wrote a blog entry, Simple Techniques That Fool Forensic Tools, that included an introduction to Alternate Data Streams. Now, I’d like to go into more detail, so that you can better understand the use and danger of
Massachusetts’ Dark App is Spyware
In June of 2021, people in Massachusetts noticed a new application (app) installed on their Android cell phones, that they didn’t initiate. What an unwelcome surprise! Where did that come from? Is someone messing with my phone? Even people driving
Facebook Dark Data
What data is Meta (Facebook) hiding about you? For many, Facebook is vital for sharing with friends and relatives. Businesses gain many customers through their advertising on this platform. Meta is a for profit company, and you can’t make a
Unstructured Data
Unstructured Data sounds like files that store disorganized data or simple text, but I see it as more of a classification term than the description of a file’s lack of internal data structures. Some examples, provided in an article by
Dark Data Dangers
If Dark Data is hidden, how can it be dangerous? How much of a threat can it possibly be? Dark Data is everywhere. It’s hidden in the firmware of the smallest devices, like survelance cameras, printers, TV streaming devices, your
What Is Dark Data?
What does Dark Data mean? We use this term on our website, as if it is obvious. In the most basic terms, Dark Data is information that is difficult to find. So, in effect it is sitting in the dark.