The variety of mobile devices we use grows almost daily. Paraben's Device Seizure provides a quick and easy way to obtain evidence from a wide variety of these mobile devices, including PDAs, cell phones and GPS devices. The product offers the ability to collect a multitude of data based on the type of device being examined. Plus, it has a well-developed case management and reporting function.
We tested the product with a BlackBerry Curve 8310 and a Garmin nüvi 205W GPS unit. After entering the device PIN, we were able to acquire all current SMS, MMS and email messages on the BlackBerry, as well as the phone book, contact list, tasks, calendar, device settings and call logs, among other things. We were also able to acquire and examine the micro SD card that was installed.
Moving on to our second test, our examination of the GPS device yielded more information than we were expecting. All entered waypoints and, subsequently, points of interest were recovered. Additionally, the product recovered all exact routes taken since the last device reset, accompanied by date and timestamps.
Installation of the product was easy and went well. The installation disk comes separate from the drivers disk, but each one was easy to use. Our only complaint came in installing the drivers. After selecting which ones to install, the installation prompts for each one appears at the same time, instead of one after the other. Other than that quibble, the Device Seizure interface is straightforward and intuitive to use, and access to all features is user friendly.
Acquisition in both the BlackBerry and nüvi lasted less than two minutes for the primary data. The time extended once we included the micro SD card in the BlackBerry and the internal storage in the nüvi, as would be expected.
While no manual is included with Device Seizure, it does include an extensive help file. Reading the initial sections will get any novice investigator underway in no time. Additionally, step-by-step instructions for data acquisition are provided for the majority of supported devices.
Paraben provides free phone and online support for the life of the product. With a price of $1,095, we feel that Paraben Device Seizure is a great value for anyone with a need to examine mobile devices.
Strengths A simple and effective solution for examining mobile devices.
Weaknesses Driver installation could be streamlined.
Verdict Paraben is the leader in mobile device forensics for a reason, and Device Seizure is that reason.