CAP Talk

Operations => Emergency Services & Operations => Topic started by: VNY on October 26, 2013, 08:01:03 PM

Title: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: VNY on October 26, 2013, 08:01:03 PM
I've seen this mentioned a few times in press releases from CAWG.  I can't think of any way a non-law enforcement agency could be involved in doing this.  Anybody know what this even really is?
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: PHall on October 26, 2013, 08:08:35 PM
The people who do this work in the Cell Phone industry and have access.
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: Walkman on October 28, 2013, 07:58:09 PM
I see frequent mentions on social media about this team. I asked my Group CC about it. He told me that because of the legal/constitutional hurdles involved, it will always be limited to a small group.

There's also another small thread here: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=18025.0 (http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=18025.0)
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: lordmonar on October 28, 2013, 08:17:07 PM
It's not a big deal.....all you need to know is the target cell phone number....a good guess of where they might be.....and of course the authority to as for the information.

This is one of those cool things that the NOC could Handle for your local IC.

Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: LTC Don on October 28, 2013, 08:25:42 PM
Quote from: PHall on October 26, 2013, 08:08:35 PM
The people who do this work in the Cell Phone industry and have access.


The question I've had is what is the long-term prognosis of this resource once said individuals no longer have that access (death, retirement, industry or career changes, etc.)?  Are any plans being made to pass this access on to other people or is there a formal partnership with the cell carriers for CAP to continue this obviously valuable program?
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: sardak on October 28, 2013, 09:58:48 PM
The partnership isn't with CAP, it's with the Air Force (AFRCC) and the Coast Guard. Any agency having jurisdiction, the service isn't limited to CAP, can request the CAP cell phone forensics team through AFRCC. Once the official request from AFRCC has been approved, the CAP cell phone team can work directly with the carriers. There is a section on the request process, not the analysis, in the Coast Guard addendum to the National SAR Supplement.

And it is a team, not just one person, just like radar forensics are performed by a team, not an individual. Although, of course, on both teams some members are more experienced than others.

A very similar question was asked a few weeks ago: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=18025.0 (http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=18025.0)

Mike
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: sardak on November 06, 2013, 04:41:33 PM
Attached is the link to a presentation explaining the process of cell phone forensics for SAR. It's not my presentation, so I didn't attach the presentation itself.

Mike
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: Mustang on November 08, 2013, 07:23:23 AM
Quote from: lordmonar on October 28, 2013, 08:17:07 PM
It's not a big deal.....all you need to know is the target cell phone number....a good guess of where they might be.....and of course the authority to as for the information.

This is one of those cool things that the NOC AFRCC could Handle for your local IC.


FTFY.
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: SARDOC on November 08, 2013, 12:56:50 PM
Quote from: Mustang on November 08, 2013, 07:23:23 AM
Quote from: lordmonar on October 28, 2013, 08:17:07 PM
It's not a big deal.....all you need to know is the target cell phone number....a good guess of where they might be.....and of course the authority to as for the information.

This is one of those cool things that the NOC AFRCC could Handle for your local IC.


FTFY.

I'm pretty sure that Lordmonar's comment didn't need to be fixed.  The Cell Phone Forensics is actually done by staff at CAPNHQ.  So even the AFRCC would contact the NOC to access this resource.
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: sardak on November 09, 2013, 07:09:25 PM
^^^No, the Cell Phone team is made up of CAP volunteers who (at least some) aren't even assigned to one of the NHQ-xxx units. It is the Air Force, through AFRCC, that has been given the legal authority to request the data, not the NOC. The radar team operates the same way -  volunteers, but there is an NHQ-xxx squadron for the NRAT, and AFRCC is the legal authority which gives the initial OK to release data to the team.

Mike
Title: Re: Cell Phone Forensics Team
Post by: Eclipse on November 09, 2013, 07:18:24 PM
Cell Phone Forensic Technology (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfvU29Nig5I#)

http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/?cap_cell_phone_forensics_expert_honored_with_public_benefit_flying_award&show=news&newsID=8547 (http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news/?cap_cell_phone_forensics_expert_honored_with_public_benefit_flying_award&show=news&newsID=8547)