Vendor pitches handheld phone-data extractor
Snooping made easy
If you’ve got a hunch that your partner is doing the dirty behind your back, then thank your suspicious stars that a gadget’s now available for instantly copying the entire contents of his or her mobile phone.
The Cell Seizure Investigator (CSI) stick is claimed to quickly extract all sorts of information from handsets, including sent and received SMS messages, phonebooks and pictures - basically everything on the phone.
Paraben's CSI stick: mobile phone snooping made easy
Manufacturer Paraben isn’t specifically marketing the CSI stick as a device for snooping on your dearly beloved, but the firm does claim its gadget opens the world of digital forensics to anyone that needs to “gather forensic-grade data” from a mobile phone.
Various adaptors are supplied with the stick to ensure it’ll fit a range of mobile phones, although so far the CSI stick only works with Samsung and Motorola handsets.
Once you’ve copied the 'incriminating' evidence, you’ll be able to search through the various forms of data using PC-based forensic analysis software, also from Paraben.
The CSI stick is available now online, with prices ranging between $200 (£100/€130) for the basic CSI stick package and $1800 (£900/€1150) for a kit containing the stick and forensic software.
COMMENTS
Remember it is meant to be a forensics tool
Its designed for use at a crime scene for quick extration of the mobiles data, so the comments about personal use may be valid but it isnt designed for that. But as I mentioned its limited model range still means you still have to carry other gear with you anyways. Also im quickly trademarking EEECSIPC while i have the chance!!!!
Expensive
The device is cheap and cheerful, the software is quite expensive.
My observations
Having to have the phone physically connected is a problem. Bluetooth link would be good but I get the impression that the software does most of the grunt work so this would mean moving the clever stuff to the dongle, exactly where you don't want people hacking into it and reverse engineering it. SMALL oversight on the trademarks they chose!
For grabbing SMS and Contacts on Nokia phones use the PC Suite sync tool over Bluetooth. Just make sure the phone has been paired with the computer first and warning tones have been turned off. SMS and Contacts can then be re synced and downloaded to similar Nokias for browsing at your own leisure.
Limited models it supports
Pretty much useless in europe as most of phones sold/popular over here just arent supported. Only does some samsungs and (alot) of motorolas.
Its a neat idea for onsite forensics. Maybe I should get an EEE Pc and load it up with some forensic software instead though.
Re: I don't know about anybody else...
What if she was the mother of your child(ren)? Big words my friend. If she has some sort of trust issues, shouldn't you be reassuring her by letting her a o2o with your mob instead at her will?
