FORMOBILE: Mobile Forensic Improvements Year 1 Summary
- News
FORMOBILE celebrated its first anniversary in May, providing an ideal opportunity to reflect on the efforts taken in year 1 to improve the mobile forensic investigation chain.
Due to the current COVID-19 epidemic, it has not been possible for the consortium to meet recently; however, as many around the world are doing, we are striving to ensure everyone is connected and work stays on track during these unusual times. Thankfully, partners in the project can contribute actively and, through a series of regular online meetings, work is still advancing as initially planned.
In many ways, the first year of the project was connected to making people aware of the initiative but also for the different work packages to actively engage stakeholders connected to mobile forensics. The goal here was to elicit the requirements and challenges faced by security practitioners across Europe, thus allowing the teams to review the current state of the art and complete the necessary gap analyses.
To support these efforts, a series of online and physical meetings, questionnaires, surveys and interviews were used to gather valuable input from various stakeholders. Below are the highlights of each work package.
Overview of key works
Work Package 1:
- A detailed questionnaire to gather input from LEAs on their requirements for mobile forensic improvements
- Preparation and execution of the first ring trial. A series of tests used to review the current capabilities of different LEAs from around Europe
Work Package 2:
- Assisting other work packages to follow all the necessary legal requirements. This has involved the creation of a Data Management Plan along with other WPs, plus various policies for the website and the individual surveys and questionnaires
Work Package 3:
- Gathering information for a report connected to the current standards, policies and guidelines used in mobile forensics across Europe
- Reviewing the gaps and challenges faced in the area of standardisation in mobile forensics
- A CEN Workshop Agreement kick-off meeting in preparation for the new CWA Standard for mobile forensics
Work Package 4-6:
- The continuous design, development and testing of 12 tools that will be produced through FORMOBILE (Sensitive information meaning limited information can be shared)
Work Package 7:
- Research and analysis of the current education and training courses available for mobile forensics
- Gathering the requirements from Law Enforcement Officers for future mobile forensic training
- The draft, novel curriculum for mobile forensics. (To be published soon)
Work Package 8:
- Several tasks were completed at the beginning of the project to form a foundation for communication and dissemination activities
- FORMOBILE Website; LinkedIn; Twitter
- Newsletters: 1st (Oct 2019); 2nd (Jan 2020)
- FORMOBILE at a glance – Leaflet
- Benefits for LEAs – Leaflet
- Other Communication & Dissemination materials here
Work Package 9:
- Detailed and thorough project management – supporting all other work packages and maintaining consistent communication
Work Package 10:
- Responsible for all ethical matters connected to the project
Full FORMOBILE project summary can be found here.