Forensic and procedural aspects of examining mobile phones during preliminary investigation

Abstract

He article analyzes such an investigative act as examining mobile phones that is very poorly covered in scientific literature. To this end, the author deals with both forensic and procedural aspects of investigative examination as examination requirements are still being developed. The author considers forensically significant traces that can be detected in a mobile phone, provides guidelines concerning the tactics of the seizure and examination of mobile devices, addresses the general requirements and the reasons for inspecting mobile phones. The author draws attention to the fact that an important task the investigator needs to perform at the preliminary stage of seizing and examining a mobile device is to secure absolute safety of unchanged information significantfor investigation in a mobile device. Then, the author analyses contemporary program and IT means applied in investigative practice to examine mobile phones (hardware and software UFED and XRY systems, other hardware and software techniques that enable investigators to remove existing and remote user information from a mobile phone). Moreover, the article considers another peculiarities of the methods of obtaining information from mobile phones such as root access to the device from the point of view of their investigative application. Given that one of the unsolved problems of practice is to overcome the iPhone protection system (4s and younger), the hardware ASIC theme IP Box iPhone Password Unlock Tool that has been developed this year and that allows to select the password to the smart phone and tablet of Apple is considered separately The author also considers the legal status of the information contained in a mobile phone Separately the article deals with the issue of necessity of obtaining the mobile phone examination order that still remains one of the disputable issues in the investigative practices due to the gap in legislation. It is noted that for successful operation investigators need to be regularly provided with relevant information and development of practical skills through the system of additional vocational training implemented by the Academy of the Investigative Committee of Russian Federation.