Investigators learn to collect evidence from cell phones

Purdue's Department of Computer and Information Technology will conduct training and education on cell phone forensics for 20 law enforcement officers and other criminal investigators from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 27 in Knoy Hall, Room 228.

The program is co-sponsored by the National White Collar Crime Center and the Indiana State Police, Event instructor Richard Mislan said the demand was so high that more than 20 other officers are on a waiting list for the training.

"As technology becomes more advanced, criminals follow suit," said Mislan, an assistant professor of computer and information technology and a researcher with Purdue's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security. "Investigators are having to become more advanced as well. We are working closely with law enforcement agencies to develop education and training opportunities to keep up with new needs."

As cell phones have become more technologically sophisticated, they are more and more valuable for police officers and others investigating the full gamut of crime. Mislan said that analyzing cell phone data allows investigators not only to access call logs, but also to contact lists, calendars, photographs, videos and a host of other personal information that can help fill in the story of a crime.

At the training session, investigators will learn — through hands-on education — how to mine data from cell phones and how to interpret that data as evidence.

"Your computer in your home has now become the computer on your hip," Mislan said. "Cell phones today can store so much information that they can tell a very enlightening story about a victim or a suspect.

"An address book can point toward drug dealers' associates. Text messages can indicate whom a missing person might have been meeting. Photographs can lead police to child pornography distributors."

Mislan has recently helped law enforcement agencies in Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia with investigations of cell phone evidence.

"Cell phone evidence isn't always the smoking gun, but it can be very important exploratory evidence," said Mislan. "It can be important in confirming other evidence police have found or pointing investigators in new directions. It can make a good starting point. For example, if you have an unidentified corpse, a cell phone can tell you a lot about who that person was, who they knew, where they had been or even activities in which they were involved."

The training program will draw 20 police officers and investigators with other governmental agencies from throughout Indiana and as far away as Minneapolis and Kansas City, Mo.

In addition to this program, the Department of Computer and Information Technology, part of Purdue's College of Technology, has offered law-enforcement training seminars in a variety of computer forensics topics, including fast forensics triage and e-mail forensics. The department has a close connection with the National White Collar Crime Center and collaborates with that group on research and education efforts across the country.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Source: Richard Mislan, (765) 494-2563, rmislan@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page