SEARCH Releases Cellular Device Data Recovery Guide

In recent years, cellular handheld devices like phones and personal digital assistants have become an integral part of crimes such as terrorist attacks, rapes, assaults, drug-growing operations, child exploitation, and many others. Recent news accounts have mentioned assaults on teachers being recorded using cell phone cameras, and of gangs that communicate using instant messaging on their BlackBerry devices.

High-Tech crime investigators need to be armed with the skills necessary to effectively conduct the challenging task of recovering data from these devices for investigative and evidence retrieval purposes. To assist investigators in these skills, SEARCH Training Services has prepared a new guide, Cellular Device Data Recovery Preparation Considerations and Troubleshooting

. It was released April 10, 2008.

The guide assists data recovery specialists with basic knowledge of equipment setup, and discusses troubleshooting issues that may be encountered during the process of retrieving data from cellular devices. It offers recommendations and suggestions to enhance the investigator's ability to successfully work through the process of data recovery.

The guide was prepared by Computer Training Specialists Keith Daniels and Lauren Wagner (View bio).

"SEARCH is dedicated to providing investigators with the latest tools and techniques to combat criminals," said SEARCH Deputy Executive Director Kelly Harris. "This 15-page, easy-to-read, illustrated guide is the latest in a series of useful and targeted guides that SEARCH has prepared for high tech investigators."

This Guide was prepared under funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. For other important investigative guides and resource materials, visit the SEARCH High-Tech Crime Publications page.

These other SEARCH-prepared guides include information on:

How to capture a MySpace page for investigative purposes
Using the MySpace Mapper to build connections for an investigation
How to effectively search MySpace for investigative purposes
Online gaming
Methods for capturing volatile data, and more.