Varying Instructional Approaches to Physical Extraction of Mobile Device Memory

Digital forensics is a multidisciplinary field encompassing both computer science and criminal justice. This action research compared the demonstrated skill levels of students enrolled in a semester course in small device forensics with an 18-hour unit on NAND memory chip extraction and analysis (chipoff forensics) against the skill levels of industry professionals after completing a 40-hour workshop on chip-off forensics. Participant backgrounds were also examined to determine if those students with a background in computer science had an advantage over students with a criminal justice background. Study participants were volunteers ranging in age from 20 to over 60 and had a variety of backgrounds and prior work experience. Volunteers completed a timed trial comprised of four timed subtasks. Results were compared for both quality and speed in task. Qualitative, quantitative, and observational data were gathered throughout the course of this study. Data was analyzed through the use of graphs and tables.