LJMU technology trialled by Merseyside Police

Forsigs Ltd, a LJMU spin out company, has entered into a partnership with Merseyside Police High tech Crime Unit (MPHTCU) that will see the Unit trialling and validating the forensic signatures technology of Forsigs Ltd.

Forsigs, jointly owned and supported by LJMU and local entrepreneur Paul Morrissey, holds technology that has a number of applications but initially the focus is on using the technology to tackle the challenges of digital forensic investigations involving the search for illegal, malicious multimedia.

The software uses a 'signature' or multiple signatures of malicious files to triage and automatically search evidentiary data. Using this innovative approach, Forsigs is able to detect not only complete, resident files but also deleted files, file fragments or files that have been embedded into other application data. Forsigs thus provides comprehensive, fast and accurate automated analysis of data while removing the need to view material, thereby protecting practitioners from the psychological burden of undertaking such investigations.

The intellectual property central to the technology was originally developed by Dr John Haggerty and Dr David Llewellyn of LJMU's School of Computing and Mathematics and was the subject of a number of years research before being formally protected.

The spin out company was created in 2008 and since then there has been significant and growing interest in the Forsgis technology from law enforcement agencies at home and abroad.

The MPHTCU will trial the Forsigs technology in live scenarios over the next 12 months, utilising the lab based product and the portable version that allows the technology to be taken to the scene of crime.

Inna Lekshtedt, Executive Assistant in the Business Development Centre, said: "The partnership with Merseyside Police High Tech Crime Unit provides an opportunity for the product to prove itself in live crime investigations. We are confident that the technology will perform well and that the trials will provide the vital credibility needed by any product looking to break into the security/crime detection field."

Discussions are also taking place with Cheshire Police who, as well as taking an interest in Forsigs, are keen to work with LJMU around the development of bespoke CPD courses and become involved with WoW. Routes to market in Europe are also being explored via TNO, based in Delft, and other interested organisations and agencies.

Inna added: "Digital Forensics is key area of expertise for LJMU. It that has the potential to generate significant income and raise the profile of the University on the world stage and we are increasingly capitalising on our skill and experience in this field. We look forward to developing our partnership with Merseyside Police and establishing new linkages both across the UK and abroad."

For more information, contact Inna on: 07968 422604 or email: I.Lekshtedt@ljmu.ac.uk