How to Evaluate Your Mobile Device Forensics Lab

How To Evaluate Your Mobile Device Forensics Lab 

Mobile device digital forensics is more critical than ever in criminal investigations. We live in a world where it is necessary to use technology to accomplish everyday tasks, like making shopping lists or paying for parking. As a result, there are more than 6.5 billion smartphone users throughout the world. Crimes involving mobile devices as evidence are increasing. Law enforcement agencies worldwide feel the influence of mobile technology in their investigations. But to access digital evidence from cell phones, you need the right tools.  

What’s in your toolbox? 

It’s easy for an investigator to become distracted by the day-to-day demands of the job- to become overwhelmed with the amount of digital forensics work needed. When this happens, it is easy to quickly lose sight, needing to constantly manage and evaluate the tools at your disposal. It helps to think of your digital forensics lab as a toolbox that contains the technology you and your team need during investigations. When you are evaluating your toolbox, ask yourself the following questions: 

• Are my tools efficient and reliable? 
• Are they easy to use? 
• Do the providers have good customer support? 

Do you have the right tools? 

We all know the saying, “The right tool for the job.”  Having the right tools can directly impact an investigation. There are many components to a digital forensics toolbox, and each agency’s  kit will differ based on the size of their lab and the crimes they investigate. However, there are a few essential components needed to process mobile devices and solve cases more efficiently.  

• Network Isolation Hardware 

• Isolate devices from radio frequency signals to maintain evidence integrity 

• Portable Batteries and Device Cables 

• Ensure on-scene officers have the equipment and accessories they need to properly secure seized devices 

• Magnet GRAYKEY

• Access and extract encrypted or inaccessible data from mobile devices.  

• Data Analysis Software  

• Import extracted mobile device data into analysis software to begin examining digital evidence 

• Device Storage 

• Safely store mobile device extractions and simplify chain of custody and data integrity 

• External Data/Evidence Storage 

• Relieve storage space from computer systems and store evidence long term