To: Board of Supervisors
From: David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Report Title: Magnet Forensics, LLC
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute on behalf of the Sheriff-Coroner, a purchase order with Magnet Forensics, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $9,440 for the use of the Axiom software in the Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division, for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in a one-time payment of $9,440 and will be funded 100% by the General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Magnet Forensics, LLC, a technology company, plays a crucial role in law enforcement operations. Magnet Forensics, LLC’s AXIOM software is the primary digital forensic software for parsing data extracted from phones, computers, tablets, the Cloud and media storage. In addition, this is the only software the Office of the Sheriff can use to parse data from Cloud search warrant returns, such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Google, Discord and Apple. The AXIOM software is also the primary tool used to generate forensic reports regarding artifacts of interest (evidentiary artifacts) for all cases ranging from Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to Homicide, and it is the preferred software for presentation of DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response) evidentiary data to Prosecutors and Investigators. The Office of the Sheriff’s On-Scene Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) and Triage capabilities during search warrants assist agencies throughout the Bay Area. The digital forensics tools, especially the Axiom licenses software, are a mission critical to the Office of the Sheriff. The Axiom software is used as the primary digital forensic software by the Office of the Sheriff for parsing data and to generate forensic reports regarding evidentiary artifacts
The department is requesting approval of this retroactive license agreement due to the conversion of the agreement from a purchase order to a service contract.
This agreement includes a limitation of liability and indemnification from the County to Magnet Forensics, LLC.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board does not approve, the Office of the Sheriff will not have access to significant software upgrades to the Axiom forensic software, which would result in less forensic artifacts the Office of the Sheriff can parse out from acquired data and the inability to process search warrant returns from Cloud service providers.