About White Oak Labs

White Oak Labs is a private digital forensics R&D facility, founded and run by scientists. We develop advanced tools used to provide forensic services. Case driven original research drives our tool development. Our tool R&D expertise is the result of decades of large, successful software projects.

We advance the state-of-the-art through innovative original research which we contribute via peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences.

We build tools to solve puzzles.

The foundation of our forensics capabilities lies in decades of experience in software research and development, commercial software architecture, operating systems and information security. We have co-authored some of the most widely used open-source software platforms.

We collaborate with entrepreneurs, Fortune 100 corporations, academic institutions, and commercial research laboratories. We combine unique, innovative technical and business development capabilities to advance the state-of-the-art in information security. With these skills, we have built a successful track-record of synergistic relationships among academic faculty, executive management and venture partners.

White Oak Labs Inc. is a licensed Investigation Company (A15996), in compliance with PSB rulings regarding companies that provide computer forensic services in Texas.

Dr. Rich Murphey
Chief Scientist

Dr. Rich Murphey is an internationally recognized expert in advances in computer forensics. He speaks regularly on advances in computer forensic techniques at international conferences such as BlackHat, DFRWS, AAFS, IAFS, HTCIA, CEIC, GMU and DC3.  Some of his research in computer forensics can be seen in the peer-reviewed article, "Automated Windows Event Log Forensics," in the Journal of Digital Investigation.  He was a member of the original software development team for the FreeBSD UNIX operating system, a founding member of the board of directors for the XFree86 window system project, and a contributing author of the Asterisk Voice Over IP (VOIP) telephone system.

Dr. Murphey holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rice University, a Texas Private Investigation Manager license, and has thirty years of experience in software development as an author, architect, product line manager, business development liaison and board member. He specializes in rapid execution in emerging markets.

Dr. Murphey began his academic career teaching and conducting research in neural networks on the faculty of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, Texas. His industry career began at Halliburton Energy Services as a Senior Scientist on the Sensor Physics team. At Halliburton he established a long term relationship with MIT's Earth Resources Lab through collaborative innovation of acoustic wave simulation and construction of a low-cost Beowulf-style supercomputer. During this time, he obtained two patents for real-time acoustic measurement of borehole geometry.

Dr. Murphey's interest in computer and network security began with his role as Chief Scientist at software startup PentaSafe Security Technologies. He pioneered the architecture of PentaSafe's first enterprise product lines and managed the intrusion detection product line. During this time, PentaSafe's host-based intrusion detection product for Windows was ranked third in world-wide sales by International Data Corporation (IDC).

Dr. Murphey is well known for open-source contributions as a co-founder of the FreeBSD Unix operating system and the Xfree86 Project window system. He served for 12 years on each project on both the board of directors and the core development team.

Dr. Murphey has served on the boards of the XFree86 Project, Inc. and Infragard Houston. He has been a member of the ACM, IEEE, WISA, ISSA, SANS and CIS. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences, speaking on technical advancements in forensics and computer security. His previous research interests were Operating Systems, Internet Security and Intrusion Prevention Systems. His primary research focus is digital forensics with emphasis on computer forensics of Windows and Linux operating systems.

Issued Patents

US Patent No. 6,065,219, "Method of and apparatus for measuring the ellipticity of an earth borehole," Murphey, C.R., G. Varsamis, L. Wisnewski, C.K.D. Chen.

US Patent No. 6,038,513, "A quick method for estimating ellipticity of an earth borehole," Varsamis, G., L. Wisnewski, C.R. Murphey.

Selected Publications

    Murphey, C.R. “Advances in Windows Log Forensics,” Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)  South Texas Chapter, July 2010.
    Murphey, Carey R., "Standardization of Digital Forensic Research Techniques," American Academy of Forensic Sciences 2009 Annual Meeting.
    Murphey, C.R. “Techniques for Automating Windows Event Log Forensics”, International Association of Forensic Science’s 18th Triennial Meeting, July 24, 2008.
    Murphey, C.R. “Automating Event Log Forensics,” Computer and Enterprise Investigations Conference (CEIC), April 29, 2008.
    Murphey, C.R. “Windows Log Forensics,” US Dept. of Defense Cyber Crime Conference (DC3), January 17, 2008.
    Murphey, C.R. “Advances in Windows Vista and XP Log Forensics,” High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) 2007 International Training Conference, Aug. 28, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Automated Windows Event Log Forensics,” Journal of Digital Investigation, presented at the Digital Forensics Research Workshop, Aug. 13, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Forensic Recovery and Analysis of Windows Vista Logs,” GMU 2007 International Forensics Training Symposium, George Mason University, Aug. 6, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Windows Vista Forensics Tutorial,” GMU 2007 International Forensics Training Symposium, George Mason University, Aug. 6, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “The Impact of Windows Vista on eDiscovery,” GMU 2007 International Forensics Training Symposium, George Mason University, Aug. 6, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Windows Vista Forensics,” DefCon 15, Aug. 3, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Windows Event Log Forensics,” High Tech Crime Investigators Association (HTCIA), Gulf Coast Chapter, May, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R., R. Chichester, J. Mardis, “About the Impact of Vista on e-Discovery,” Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Houston Chapter, May, 2007.
    Murphey, C.R. “Impact of Windows Vista Event Logging on Forensics,” Computer and Enterprise Investigations Conference (CEIC), May 6, 2007.
    Linder, P., C.R. Murphey, S. Stout, “Open Source & Full Disclosure: Community Collaboration in IT Security,” Texas Regional Infrastructure Security Conference (TRISC), May 17, 2006.
    Murphey, C.R. “Using VMWare for Forensics,” Infragard Houston Conference, Oct 26, 2005.
    Murphey, C.R. “Hacking Explored,” Infragard Houston Conference, Oct 26, 2005.
    Murphey, C.R. “How to Lock Down Your FreeBSD Install,” BlackHat 6, Aug. 1, 2002.
    Murphey, C.R. “FreeBSD Exploits and Remedies,” DefCon 10, Aug. 2, 2002.