Here are a few of our more memorable cases (and ones that we can actually talk about!).
New Zealand Government / Parliament: Law Change
My published findings on inconsistencies in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act (1990)
forced Parliament to make changes in the law.
FBI / US Congress: Financial Loopholes
An analysis I did of certain financial platforms revealed a flaw
that could be used to fund domestic terrorism
and also skirt US tax laws nearly invisibly.
After my report was disseminated, the US Congress passed laws closing these loopholes.
Plugging a Leak at a Movie Studio
A top US Movie Studio approached me to determine how and which department
was leaking sensitive company plans to the media.
After a brief investigation, I gave the studio Executive VP a detailed report.
It was so detailed, in fact, that the studio's security department [ex-FBI staffers] was
convinced that I was the one who had perpetrated the crimes!
Once the information was made known,
the person behind the leaks came forward on their own.
Thinking Outside The Box: Military Aircraft Radar Affecting Local WiFi
My client was having serious issues with the WiFi at their home office.
The WiFi worked fine during the day, but it stopped working
around 10:45 p.m. each night.
He called us as a last resort, having been through the run-around
with his ISP (Internet Service Provider) support centre.
I brought the usual networking tools and also a few more uncommon devices.
An analysis determined that a flight control radar tower which was situated 3 miles away on a hilltop
was causing issues by overpowering the local WiFi router and devices, making a connection impossible.
I called the local international airport, which owned the radar installation,
and spoke with someone in the Control Tower. I explained that the military flight control radar (which took over once the airport was done for the day) was out of alignment and was causing issues with wireless networks in one of the surrounding suburbs.
The Control Tower technician was incredulous that the radar system could affect a wireless network.
I explained that if he did not contact the military (who shared this civilian tower)
then I would contact them directly and let them know that the airport was unwilling to assist.
The airport radar technician then agreed and called the base radar technicians directly.
The problem with the WiFi promptly ceased. My client never saw that same issue again.
Moral of the story: When normal approaches don't work,
it pays to hire someone who can think well beyond the usual.
Forensic Investigation: Stealing Product and Cooking the Books
While under retainer to an investment bank, I was asked to find out why the
accounts of one of the companies they had funded didn't make sense.
The accounting all added up correctly, but something was amiss.
One of our operatives was placed inside the organisation. The data
revealed that the company owner's brother was selling their product directly
and pocketing the cash. He was then altering the incoming goods and inventory lists
that were given to the accounting department -- which just so happened to be run by his wife.
Over $100,000 in product had been stolen over a two-year period.
HIDing in Plain Sight
A major high-rise office building in Wellington was experiencing break-ins
to offices in the building, but there were no clues as to how it was being done.
Our security analysis found many breaches of the building's card key system by its staff.
There was also no valid key log or tracking.
Policies and procedures were being ignored and were not enforced.
We also uncovered a builder, on contract to the building management, who was acting
as an accomplice, un-securing office areas for the criminals
to come later in the evening using valid card keys.
None of the building tenants ever thought that anything was wrong, since they all knew the builder
and simply assumed that what he was doing was sanctioned.
A Smashingly Bad Marketing Plan
A glass company in Los Angeles was busted for doing a leaflet drop to businesses,
then hiring gang members to slingshot pieces of glass
into the storefront windows at night.
An intact corner piece of glass that I found
near one of the smashed windows matched a sample at the glass company.
Doh!