In an increasingly digital world, having the most up-to-date digital forensic tools can be challenging for police forces in Canada and around the world. That's where Waterloo-based company, Magnet Forensics, comes in. It helps equip law enforcement agencies with digital forensic solutions that can collect, analyze, and report on digital evidence found during criminal investigations.
Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Jad Saliba, began his career as a front-line officer for the Waterloo Regional Police Service. A few years into his career, Saliba was diagnosed with cancer. After undergoing treatment, Saliba used his background in software development to return to work investigating crimes with a digital evidence component. He relied on his software development knowledge, as well as his experience as a police officer, to develop a prototype for an innovative technology, that would automate the evidence collection process, allowing investigators to collect evidence they were unable to in the past.
The software Magnet Forensics develops has helped crime investigators improve evidence collection in a number of ways. Their software enables investigators to work with data from a variety of digital sources, including computers, cell phones and the cloud. The tools developed by Magnet Forensics also allows enterprises to combat cybercrime by allowing them to collect evidence following an attack.
Saliba donated his prototype to the Waterloo Regional Police Service and other policing agencies who showed interest. It was when international policing agencies began showing interest in the prototype that he knew he would be able to help victims of crime by devoting his full attention to the development of his software. Saliba founded Magnet Forensics in 2010. Just 1 year later, he made the difficult decision to leave policing to pursue the work at Magnet Forensics full-time.
Since its inception, the company has registered numerous trademarks and patents for its software with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), as well as in various other markets such as the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Prioritizing IP to pursue innovation
From the beginning, the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights has been a priority for Magnet Forensics. By prioritizing the protection of IP rights in the early stages, the company has been able to focus on innovation. Safeguarding Magnet Forensics' IP has also given it the peace of mind, allowing it to focus on the growth of the company. When asked about the importance of protecting IP to his company, Saliba responded, "Knowing that a competitor can't encroach into our space and offer the same solutions allows us to feel confident in our growth plan."
To manage its vast IP portfolio, Magnet Forensics uses a number of IP resources, including IP agents who work to coordinate its global IP strategy. Saliba says that IP agents bring a number of advantages including the perspective they can provide on the industry and the relationships they have built with various IP offices including CIPO.
Obtaining its IP rights has given Magnet Forensics peace of mind to carry out significant work like devoting resources to give back to communities with less access to digital forensic tools. The Auxtera Project is a charitable initiative that will donate Magnet Forensics' software and the use of forensic investigators to pursue justice for vulnerable populations.
Saliba's advice to Canadian companies
When asked what advice he would offer to Canadian companies that wish to register their IP, Saliba says that companies should prioritize the protection of their IP early on. He says that 1 of the best decisions the company made in its early years was to underscore the importance of safeguarding its IP. "At Magnet, we made our IP strategy a priority within our first 2 years to ensure we could maintain our growth and innovation without being derailed." While registering your IP rights early on may be difficult, Saliba says, "It is essential to protect your most valuable assets."