Forensic Tools:
Forensic examination of mobile devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and cell phones, is a growing subject area in computer forensics. Consequently, mobile device forensic tools are a relatively recent development and in the early stages of maturity. When mobile devices are involved in a crime or other incident, forensic specialists require tools that allow the proper retrieval and speedy examination of information present on the device. A number of existing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and open-source products provide forensics specialists with such capabilities.
In order to assess the capabilities of assorted forensic tools, generic scenarios can be devised to mirror situations that often arise during a forensic examination of a mobile device and associated media. The scenarios serve as a baseline for determining a tool’s capability to acquire and examine various types of known data, allowing a broad and probing perspective on the state of the art of present-day forensic tools to be made.
Forensic Guidelines:
Forensic examiners, law enforcement, and incident response teams rely heavily on proper procedures and techniques, as well as appropriate tools, to preserve and process digital evidence. Guidance in the area of mobile forensics is generally lacking. Procedures and techniques developed from a classical computer forensics cannot be used directly, because they do not account for the differing characteristics of mobile devices. Guidelines on mobile device forensics are needed to inform readers of the various technologies involved and the potential ways to approach theses device from a forensically sound perspective. The objective is twofold: to help organizations evolve appropriate policies and procedures for dealing with mobile devices, and to prepare forensic specialists to deal with new situations when they are encountered.
Mobile Forensic Publications:
Forensic Software Tools for Cell Phone Subscriber Identity Modules, Conference on Digital Forensics, Association of Digital Forensics, Security, and Law (ADFSL), April 2006. Wayne Jansen, Rick Ayers.
Cell Phone Forensic Tools: An Overview and Analysis, NISTIR 7250, October 2005. Rick Ayers, Wayne Jansen, Nicolas Cilleros, Ronan Daniellou.
An Overview and Analysis of PDA Forensic Tools, Digital Investigation, The International Journal of Digital Forensics and Incident Response, Volume 2, Issue 2, April 2005. Wayne Jansen, Rick Ayers.
Guidelines on PDA Forensics, SP 800-72, November 2004. Wayne Jansen, Rick Ayers.
PDA Forensic Tools: An Overview and Analysis, NISTIR 7100, August 2004. Rick Ayers, Wayne Jansen.
Mobile Forensic Links:
The Electronic Evidence Information Center is a compilation of resources pertaining to the field of digital forensics with a specialization in mobile devices/
Mobile and PDA Forensics provides links to journal articles, publications, presentations, and books pertaining to the field of mobile device forensics.
Phone Forensics is a website that has been developed for mobile phone forensic practitioners by practitioners.
Mobile Forensics provides users with detailed information, links, user-manuals, and reference guides pertaining to the field of mobile device forensics.
Phone Forensics Group provides users with training, procedures, software, hardware, solutions and best forensic practices through a Yahoo mail group.
