If you are still investigating pay phones, then you are living in ancient history. As we enter the next ten years of the twentieth century, a lot of people are utilizing mobile telephones - including the suspects that we investigate.
As cell telephones have gotten more advanced, it does not make a great deal of sense any longer to just label the devices "phones.". In fact, the title "mini computer" would be a more appropriate title for these mighty little communication telephones. Smartphones like the blackberry and iphone are exceptionally influential sources of investigative evidence.
Common belief among most - especially smaller - police agencies is that investigating cell forensics is more scientific than they have the time or the people to handle. But this is simply not the situation. Take a look out of the country: the UK, and other nearby Eurpean nations, are far more advanced that the United States when it comes to extracting forensics data out of mobile telephones. This advancement was not that not easy; it really only took a willingness to recognize that cell forensics are valuable for investigations. We will discuss importance of cell phone forensics in this article. In another article, we discuss cell forensic extraction tools.
Though it may seem to be a trivial question if you have any experience with mobile device forensics, no double several pd cops might want a definition for mobile device forensics. Here is a good definition:
The removal and analysis of information from mobile telephones seized by analysts.
To aquire these mobile phones from individuals of interest, they are normally captured during an arrest or when a search warrent is exercised. The way to legally attain mobile phones for cases is not the point of this editorial - we have to assume that you are somewhat familiar with the fundamentals of criminal justice. Check with your defense attorney to make certain that you acquire the smartphones appropriately. Keep in mind that the method from start to finish needs to be documented for court.
Cell forensic data includes:
- Emails ( in the case of smartphones)
- Address books
- Pictures (occationallly together with geo-information!)
-Text messages
-Call Detail Records (aka numbers called and numbers calling)
The importance of mobile device forensics is quite clear.
They can with no trouble produce the next lead of your analysis, but they also provide valuable context for your suspects. Who is called most often by your target? Who is receiving his emails? What persons are a element of his core group of co-conspirators?
Simply getting information off of a phone, however, is not enough. You need a way to examine the information. It is not uncommon for forensic investigators to rave about the number of files they are able to pull off a particilar telephone. However, the only point of downloading information from a phone is to generate leads and the resulting evidence with ANALYSIS.
In another article later in this series, we will hit on some cell forensics investigation system that turns the data from the aquisition devices (like the Cellebrite, Secureview, or XRY) and actually turns it into actionable intelligence automatically.
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