The mobile platform is experiencing explosive growth, and with that growth comes cyber-incident analysis and response challenges. There are several thousand types of mobile devices, with many types of interfaces, operating systems, and connectivity options. This type of environment has many implications for an incident responder. The number of devices makes it impossible to be well-versed in each one, complicating analyses. The sheer number of devices also creates a massive expense simply trying to stay abreast of the major players in the market. Complicating this further is that mobile devices can be the target of a security incident, but mobile devices can also prove to be a means to coordinate, support, or execute an attack. The nature of mobile devices presents other challenges as well, including the ability to remotely access devices and the ability to remotely wipe out evidence, an evidence destruction process that can occur rapidly in a flash memory environment.

Mobile forensics is an increasingly complex environment for investigators because of the rapid rate of innovation and adoption of new technologies, applications, and hardware. Smartphones are being used in so many ways that they have become a central focus in digital forensic investigations. The mobile platform is a forensic challenge because of the number of third-party applications found on many devices and the rapidly evolving security measures employed by device manufacturers and application developers.

In this project, you will write a white paper that describes the current state of mobile incident response and investigation. The context is that as a forensic investigator, you are providing an objective overview of mobile technology and digital forensic and incident response capabilities for a law enforcement unit that has limited experience and capability with mobile forensics.

Your white paper will describe mobile investigative challenges and the techniques and technologies available to perform mobile forensic examinations. You will also provide your perspective on the future of mobile forensics—the biggest threat to mobile forensics in years to come, and the biggest opportunity for investigators of mobile cybercrime.