Overview of Mobile Forensics Solutions
This article provides an overview of mobile forensics. It covers some of the hardware devices and software tools that law enforcement, government agencies, and private investigators use for analyzing cell phones and tablets. In addition, we’ll provide a brief overview of one of the leading technology solution providers.
Almost Everyone Has a Cell Phone
One commonality among criminals, regardless of their particular area of focus, is that they all use cell phones. According to the United Nations, out of the estimated seven billion people worldwide, six billion have access to mobile phones. More people have access to mobile phones than toilets.
Knowing what is on a mobile device or tablet can be invaluable as a law enforcement officer, private investigator, or crime scene investigator. From investigating a car crash to tracking terrorists in real time, detectives need to be able to access the data and information on a criminal’s cell phone.
Mobile Forensics Solution Providers
Susteen, a mobile forensics solutions provider based in Southern California, recently released a new mobile forensics device. Known as the Field Acquisition Device, the mobile forensics device is designed to help law enforcement pull data and information from mobile devices in real time. This capability helps law enforcement respond quickly to threats in the field.
Following is an overview of the company and its various solutions for mobile forensics.
Field Acquisition Device
Susteen’s Field Acquisition Device allows law enforcement to acquire evidence data from cell phones and tablet computers from anywhere. This method speeds up the acquisition of data from hours to minutes. Agents in the field can have instant access to text messages and call data. Users can preserve evidence on all devices using software and optical acquisition methods.
Features
Fast Acquisition Feature: The device can pull calls, call history, and text messages from the phone, usually in less than five minutes. This is extremely helpful to law enforcement officers when they need to understand the events leading up to an incident. For example, an officer investigating a car accident can check to see if one of the drivers was on the phone or sending text messages.
Full Acquisition Feature: The full acquisition takes a bit longer but includes calls, texts, call history, images, and some application data (more data if the phone is rooted).
Real-Time Acquisition: This feature allows the investigator to pull the last 30 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, or even a full week of data from the cell phone. This allows the investigators who are on the scene to have immediate access to evidence that may be relevant to a live situation.
Optical Capture with OCR method: This method allows the detective to capture screenshots of the device using an embedded camera. These images can be exported easily. Our OCR software finds text found in the images so you can convert pictures into searchable actionable evidence data.
Linked Screen Capture: This feature captures the exact screen captures on nearly any application on the phone. This helps to preserve evidence.
Cost
According to the developer, the cost of the device is 70% less than other devices that perform similar tasks. This makes the solution affordable for even small departments.
Secure View 4
Secure View 4 is a mobile forensics analysis tool that allows forensic investigators and corporate e-discovery professionals to pull data from cell phones and tablet computers. Then, the program helps you create a case file and sets up a data processing workflow. In addition, it helps you create evidence reports regarding the relevant data and information found on the device. Reports include information such as pictures, videos, documents, text messages, phone calls, and more. It also finds deleted data.
SV Strike
SV Strike is a forensically sound analysis and reporting tool that can acquire PIN codes, passcodes, and pattern locks on Android and iPhone devices.
Burner Breaker
This technology tool will break into so-called “burner” phones. Burner phones are prepaid mobile phones that provide a higher degree of privacy. According to Susteen, they are the first company to develop technology to break into burner and pre-paid phones. The technology allows law enforcement and government agencies to access phone data and information like never before.
Forensic Director
The Forensic Director is a product designed to help you manage all of Susteen’s tools in one centralized portal. This provides an all-in-one location for a law enforcement agency to manage its operation. The tool features a role-based access model, real-time analysis function, case management, and reporting features. The portal also serves as a centralized place to store all documents and media files related to a case. In addition, the software has something called a “correlation engine,” which makes it easy to identify related information across cases.
Additional Products and Kits
The company’s Secure View kits include the software, a data cable kit (for connecting to various phones), an instruction manual, and a hard carrying case for easy transport.
About Susteen
Susteen, Inc. is a design solution provider specializing in data communications and mobile computing. Susteen’s core competencies consist of both hardware and software solutions for the wireless communication industry and consumer market, carefully designed, expanded, and enhanced to provide an excellent mobile experience to the end user.
To contact the company:
Website:
Email: sales@susteen.com
Address: 18818 Teller Ave. Suite 102, Irvine, California 92612
Office: 949-341-0007
Fax: 949-341-0008
Questions and Comments
If you have any questions or comments about Susteen’s mobile forensics device, please post them below. If you want to learn more about the company or its products and solutions, please visit its website at the above address.
See also: Mobile Spy Software.