Analyze at least two procedures and tools. Choose what you believe to be the greatest challenge regarding mobile device forensics for investigators at the present time and provide a reason why.
There are several procedures and tools implemented and used in mobile device forensics nowadays. Two of these tools are the PDA Zeisure and Cell Zeisure Tools. PDA Zeisure’s main purpose is to acquire, examine and report data for phones that supports Palm OS, pocket PC and RIM OS. However, some weaknesses is its inability to read SIM info and its interface is through the use of cable only. However, this tool has the ability acquire info both in logical and physical ways with the use of MD5 encryption to protect integrity of retrieved individual files and databases. Cell Zeisure on the other hand, functions like the PDA Zeisure with additional functionalities and coverage. It is capable of recovering contents of both internal and external SIM and also applicable for phone with GSM, CDMA and TDMA networks. Examples of data that can be acquired by this tool are the SMS history, calendar, phonebooks and notes of a cellphone. (Ayers, 2005) Because of the fast changing technology, mobile devices forensics investigators may have difficulty in keeping up with appropriate tools compatible to the new technology releases.
Describe the role that the NIST and other government agencies are currently doing in the mobile forensics arena. Analyze the affect mobile device investigations and data collection will have on the future of system forensics and provide a rationale with your response
NIST has the general role of providing standards and technologies that aims to protect various information systems against threats to the CIA triangle (confidentiality, integrity and availability) of all computer-based data of any organization. Specifically, in term of mobile forensics, since they refer to it as still being on its infancy stage, they are currently performing tests and coming up with validation tools in connection to mobile forensics. It is a fact that mobile devices contains numerous and huge amount of information, whether volatile or non-volatile type in addition to the fact that almost everyone have access to these devices and people have been dependent on these. If mobile device investigations are permitted and conducted even without authorization of the owner, one major effect could effect could be is that the privacy of these people will be intruded. The people will think that they are not safe anymore as everything they do is being watched. Their calls maybe recorded or someone other than the receivers are reading their text messages or notes or calendar entries.
References:
Ayers, Rick (2005). Cell Phone Forensic Tools: An Overview and Analysis. Retrieved from http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistir/nistir-7250.pdf
Vacca, John (2011). System Forensics, Investigation and Response. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=astqv8hRnT0C&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=use+system+forensics+for+law+enforcement+agencies&source=bl&ots=Jl6BbnEQBx&sig=Mw4poCmn4C6ySfirdEI5pGJWE3g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tRKNUYXaD8qhiAeO24HQBg&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=use%20system%20forensics%20for%20law%20enforcement%20agencies&f=false
