February 10, 2009
UK Police make new mobile checks
UK Police forces are being equipped with a new generation of data extraction devices to accelerate the downloading of pictures, personal information and numbers from seized mobile phones. The Guardian reports.
The hand-held machines can override password protection systems and are increasingly being used by hi-tech crime units and intelligence agencies.
Their spread, however, has raised concern from the human rights groups Liberty about the potential for intrusive searches and prompted the Information Commssioner's Office to warn about the need for appropriate security safeguards.
Drug dealers and paedophiles have used untraceable handsets to disguise trading. Terrorists have used them to detonate bombs remotely.
... The Information Commissioner's Office said it was not opposed to the use of such equipment for the detection and prevention of crime. but warned that "proper safeguards" should be in place to ensure that information was not abused.
Related:
-- Mobile forensics turns up heat on suspects - Forensic science is developping new tools to investigate cell phone data - even when deleted - and solve crimes.
-- Fighting Crime With Cellphones' Clues - Extracting clues and leads from mobile electronics is no cakewalk.
-- Cellphone Forensics at Crime Scenes - Logicube has developed a portable kit which can extract data from over 160 handset when needed by the police and forensic staff.
--Digital evidence is increasingly crucial to criminal investigations - Cell phones have become the new "smoking gun" for prosecutors and police in the Twin Cities and around the world.
-- UK police making Gil Grissom jealous... - The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has developed a mobile laboratory which will travel to crime scenes and carry out real-time forensic investigation and analysis.
-- The field of Cell Phone Forensics - Modern detectives are now using cell phone forensics to capture more and more criminals.
-- Police turn forensic skills on handhelds - Handhelds are likelier to lead to handcuffs for techie criminals following the release of a report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
-- Mobile phone forensics 'hole' reported - Police investigations are being hindered by the use of proprietary mobile phone technologies, say forensics experts.
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