CSI for companies burned by hackers

In a tiny lab on the 24th floor of a high-rise in downtown San Francisco, a couple of forensic examiners are piecing together evidence. But there aren't any blood or gunpowder samples. Instead, there are hard drives, traces of deleted e-mails, and server logs to sift.

The examiners -- who asked not to be named -- are digital forensics experts at Stroz Friedberg, one of a handful of cybercrime first responders that companies turn to when they've been hacked. As the scope and size of cyberattacks have grown, so has Stroz Friedberg's business. Though the private company does not disclose its numbers, it says revenue rose 18% from 2011 to 2012, as the likes of Facebook and Brocade Communications Systems engaged the firm to investigate cases of intellectual-property theft, denial-of-service attacks, embezzlement, and myriad other cybercrimes.