Filter Email Data at the Source Before Collection
Pre-Acquisition Filtering for Forensics & eDiscovery
Why download 100GB to find 10GB of relevant data? Aid4Mail’s server-side filtering reduces collection time, costs, and privacy risks by filtering before download.
Transform Your Email Collection
Reduce data by 90%
Filter at the source before download
10-100x faster collection
Native server-side processing
Privacy compliant
GDPR, HIPAA, PIPA data minimization
Defensible process
Complete audit trail and documentation
The Volume Challenge: Why Traditional Collection Fails
Modern email investigations face massive mailboxes, multiple custodians, and strict compliance requirements.
Traditional Collection Method
- ⬥ Download entire mailboxes (100% of data)
- ⬥ Process and index everything locally
- ⬥ Filter to find relevant content (5-10%)
- ⬥ Bandwidth throttling from providers
- ⬥ Storage overflow and extended timelines
- ⬥ Privacy violations from over-collection
Aid4Mail Pre-Acquisition Filtering
- ⬥ Send queries directly to email servers
- ⬥ Server performs native search
- ⬥ Download only matching results (5-10%)
- ⬥ 90% reduction in bandwidth usage
- ⬥ Minimal storage requirements
- ⬥ Privacy by design with data minimization
Real-World Impact: 100,000-Email Mailbox
Native Integration Across All Major Platforms
Server-side filtering using each platform’s native search capabilities for maximum speed and efficiency.
Microsoft 365 & Exchange
Graph API and MAPI integration with ultra-fast date filtering and app-only access.
Gmail & Google Workspace
Direct API integration with Google Vault export support and label-based filtering.
Yahoo! Mail & IMAP
Industry-first solutions bypassing Yahoo’s 100K folder and 1K search limits.
PST Files & Local Storage
Access internal Outlook indexes for lightning-fast searching without full processing.
Intelligent Two-Stage Filtering
Combine server-side speed with local precision for optimal results.
Stage 1: Server-Side Pre-Acquisition
Broad criteria executed directly on the email server for maximum speed. Date ranges, sender/recipient filters, subject keywords, and attachment presence are processed before any download.
Speed advantage: 90% data reduction in seconds, not hours
Stage 2: Local Post-Processing
Deep content analysis on the filtered dataset. Search within attachments, apply complex patterns, run AI classification, and examine nested archives.
Precision advantage: Surgical extraction of exactly what you need
Microsoft 365 Query Example
(received:2024-01-01..2024-12-31) AND
(from:finance@company.com OR subject:"quarterly report") AND
(importance:high) AND (hasattachments:true)
Gmail Query Example
after:2024/1/1 before:2025/1/1
from:(finance@company.com)
subject:("quarterly report")
has:attachment -label:spam
Alternative Approach: Incremental Processing
When you need comprehensive collection with updates, use incremental processing instead of pre-filtering.
Important: Choose One Approach
Pre-acquisition filtering and incremental processing are mutually exclusive features. Choose based on your specific needs:
- • Pre-filtering: For targeted, one-time collections with specific criteria
- • Incremental: For comprehensive collection with periodic updates
Interrupted Collections
Resume exactly where you left off after timeouts, connection loss, or bandwidth limits.
- Server timeouts or overloads
- Lost internet connections
- Bandwidth limit reached
- Insufficient disk space
Ongoing Investigations
Perfect for continuous monitoring and periodic updates without redundant downloads.
- Daily compliance monitoring
- Periodic litigation updates
- Continuous threat surveillance
- Rolling preservation requirements
Built for Global Privacy Compliance
Data minimization by design meets the strictest regulatory requirements worldwide.
GDPR Compliance
Collect only necessary data, filter before crossing borders, and document minimization efforts
HIPAA Ready
Minimize PHI collection scope, exclude healthcare records at source, and maintain audit trails
South Korea PIPA
Meet strict consent obligations, minimize Korean residents' data, and document processing purposes
Professional Applications
How investigators, legal teams, and compliance officers use pre-acquisition filtering.
Digital Forensics
- Target specific evidence without overwhelming storage
- Maintain chain of custody with complete documentation
- Process multiple custodians in parallel
- Resume interrupted collections seamlessly
eDiscovery & Litigation
- Reduce review costs by 90% through early culling
- Meet tight deadlines with rapid collection
- Ensure defensibility with documented filters
- Comply with data minimization requirements
Compliance & Audits
- Filter for specific regulatory requirements
- Minimize personal data collection (GDPR/PIPA)
- Create targeted datasets for auditors
- Maintain continuous monitoring capabilities
Incident Response
- Rapidly collect evidence from compromised accounts
- Search for specific IOCs across mailboxes
- Minimize data exposure during breach response
- Enable quick pivoting with targeted searches
Measurable Cost Impact
See how pre-acquisition filtering transforms investigation economics.
Collection Phase Savings
Without filtering:
Traditional tools require downloading 500GB for a 10-custodian investigation, taking days and overwhelming storage.
With Aid4Mail:
Pre-acquisition filtering reduces this to 50GB, completing in hours with minimal infrastructure impact.
Downstream Cost Reduction
Traditional cost:
Processing 500GB costs $50,000 in hosting and review fees, with weeks of attorney time.
Aid4Mail savings:
Filtering to 50GB reduces costs to $5,000, saving $45,000 (90% reduction) per investigation.
The Efficiency Imperative for Modern Investigations
90%
Average data reduction
10-100x
Faster collection
95%
Cost savings
100%
Defensible process
Ready to Transform Your Email Investigations?
Experience 90% data reduction and 10-100x faster collections. The time saved on your first collection will exceed the investment for an entire year.