How Police Will Download All Your Cell Phone Information

Posted by Daniel Yerelian on September 16th, 2008 filed in Domestic Issues, Thoughts

I recently came across a tool called the “CSI Stick“, made by the Paraben Corporation. This USB storage looking device allows a person to quickly plug into a wide variety of cell phones and download all the information from the phones memory, even deleted files that had not been overwritten.

From Parabens Press Release

“The Paraben CSI Stick has the potential to be a great tool for street level patrol officers. The
functionality of the stick allows street level officers to view media quickly and at the same time
the stick maintains a forensic image for full exam by forensic lab personnel,” said Jay Poupard,
of the Michigan State Police.

I had recently heard through the grapevine that drivers should should not have their cell phones on their person in case they get pulled over. It seems that law enforcement will search whatever property that is on their person, especially, if for whatever reason, they get arrested.

According to this case(US Vs. Finley) it seems that these whisperings might be correct.

From another recent CNET article regarding that case:

Any contrary holding could have far-ranging consequences. At the hearing, the government asserted that, although the officers here limited their searches to the phones’ address books, the officers could have searched any information–such as e-mails or messages–stored in the cell phones.

Will cell phone memory encryption become the norm now? It’s happening with laptops, especially with the border search and seizures policies that are in place… Protecting ourselves from ourselves.