Paraben's CSI Stick can be used to make a copy of all data on a cell phone. Posted on 09/06/2008 12:19:44 PM PDT by BGHater
If someone asks to borrow your cell phone, or you leave it unattended, beware!
Unless you actually watch them use it, they may be secretly grabbing every piece of your information on the device, even deleted messages. If you leave your phone sitting on your desk, or in the center console of your car while the valet parks it, then you and everyone in your contacts list may be at risk, to say nothing of confidential e-mails, spread sheets, or other information. And of course, if you do not want your spouse to see who you are chatting with on your phone, you might want to use extra caution.
There is a new electronic capture device that has been developed primarily for law enforcement, surveillance, and intelligence operations that is also available to the public. It is called the Cellular Seizure Investigation Stick, or CSI Stick as a clever acronym. It is manufactured by a company called Paraben, and is a self-contained module about the size of a BIC lighter. It plugs directly into most Motorola and Samsung cell phones to capture all data that they contain. More phones will be added to the list, including many from Nokia, RIM, LG and others, in the next generation, to be released shortly.
I recently attended and lectured at the Techno-Security conference in Myrtle Beach, Fla. About 1,500 law enforcement and security professionals participated and were briefed on the latest in cybersecurity vulnerabilities from participating federal agents, manufacturers, and cyber-consultants. The CSI Stick caught my attention because of the potential to rapidly and covertly download all of the information contained in many cell phones.
Paraben's CSI Stick can be used to make a copy of all data on a cell phone.
This device connects to the data/charging port and will seamlessly grab e-mails, instant messages, dialed numbers, phone books and anything else that is stored in memory. It will even retrieve deleted files that have not been overwritten. And there is no trace whatsoever that the information has been compromised, nor any risk of corruption. This may be especially troublesome for corporate employees and those that work for government agencies.
The good news: the device should find wide acceptance by parents who want to monitor what their kids are doing with their phones, who they are talking to and text messaging, and where they are surfing. It could also be valuable in secure areas where employees need to be randomly monitored to insure that sensitive information is not compromised through the use of a cell phone as a memory device.
The CSI Stick sells for $200 and requires an added piece of software to mine the data and do sophisticated processing on your computer. So now, in addition to worrying about your conversations or data being intercepted through your Bluetooth headset, there is a new threat, and it is very real.
The rule: if your phone contains sensitive data, do not leave it unattended. If you loan it to someone to use because they tell you theirs is not working, make sure you actually see them using the phone and there is nothing connected to it.
That being said that whatever pair of pants I'm wearing ALWAYS have pockets in them and thats where I keep my phone. If I'm at home its only a few feet from me.
So, can I borrow your phone?
;-)
May I add, if you’re not using a service, such as wireless or bluetooth, turn it off. Also, there are some nice pass phrase generators coming on the market for WinMobile phones, too.
My Contact list is my livelihood, I would hate for someone to get their hands on it while I was visiting one of my customers.
I don’t text, email or take pics with my cell. I have no one in a directory. I call out and get calls in. Period.
I just use mine for calling out. I have 4 names on it. So if someone tried to get any valuable info on my cell, they’ll be SOL.
Same with using it in general. It’s a radio phone and anything you say on it can usually be intercepted...just ask Prince Charles.
I want one.
So, they got all my data. Now what?
I’m not worried. I don’t carry or own a cell phone. Don’t need it.
In other news, you should not carry incriminating documents on your person, or mail them via USPS, or assume that your telephone has not been tapped.
Also be very aware that the “expectation of privacy” is very limited, and at no time when you are in a vehicle, especially a police vehicle, should you expect any privacy at all.
DNA you leave in a public place may be legally collected off trash or dining utensils. Once you put your trash out for collection it is no longer your property.
There is a good probability that any conversation you have with a police officer is being recorded, if only to make it easier for them to fill out their paperwork after.
And, of course, you should never talk to a police officer unless you are asking for their assistance. Even ordinary answers to seemingly unimportant questions may expose you to criminal sanctions.
It used to be that if a policeman asked you a question, you could respond with a question to the effect of “Am I being detained?” If the answer was “no”, then you could walk away. However, recent court decisions have determined that evidence given outside of arrest may be used against you. And if you invoke your Miranda Rights during arrest, the police may release you from arrest to act on that information—and if evidence is uncovered, re-arrest you.
Therefore, the current standard is to tell the police to “Please direct all statements and questions to my attorney.” This statement can be used, and should be used, at all times in the presence of police, arrested or not. Any further efforts to speak to you until you have contacted your attorney and they are present are strong grounds for dismissal of all charges.
I have a cell phone but no friends so it isn’t a problem for me either.
what I want is a cell phone jammer.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/12/can_you_hear_me.html
Cell phone users, beware. The FBI can listen to everything you say, even when the cell phone is turned off.
A recent court ruling in a case against the Genovese crime family revealed that the FBI has the ability from a remote location to activate a cell phone and turn its microphone into a listening device that transmits to an FBI listening post, a method known as a “roving bug.” Experts say the only way to defeat it is to remove the cell phone battery.
“The FBI can access cell phones and modify them remotely without ever having to physically handle them,” James Atkinson, a counterintelligence security consultant, told ABC News. “Any recently manufactured cell phone has a built-in tracking device, which can allow eavesdroppers to pinpoint someone’s location to within just a few feet,” he added.
According to the recent court ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan, “The device functioned whether the phone was powered on or off, intercepting conversations within its range wherever it happened to be.”
Great article, but I hate the “if you do not want your spouse to see who you’re chatting with on your phone” line. To think that there are marriages that exist like that is really sad. You shouldn’t have to hide anything from a spouse. Other than that, thanks for the warning about this CSI device. It’s good to know.
This blatant discrimination is evil, vile and hateful.
What about those of us who don’t have a cell phone?
We need a new government agency that will issue cell phones free of charge to victims like me.
Just remember that every time you use your cell phone, you commit a hate crime against me.
It’s way past time to level the playing field!
Me too!!!
I’d hate to be the poor sap that has to sort through the 750mb of data on my Blackberry to get to any of the good stuff on the remaining 250mb. I’m not worried.
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