Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

JOSEPH PASCARELLA

Abstract

Technology companies like Apple pride themselves on protecting its consumers’ data, which they express within their mission statement and by also encrypting their mobile devices. This encryption stalled an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, resulting in them taking Apple to court. There has been a lack of information about mobile forensic examiners perceptions on issue they face in the mobile forensic field. The purpose of this research study was to address the perceptions mobile forensic examiners experience when dealing with encryption, privacy, and national security concerns. This qualitative phenomenological study included interviews with 10 mobile forensic examiners (two female and eight male) with at least 1 year of experience on key issues in the mobile forensic field. Results from this study, identified that mobile forensic examiners wanted to work with technology companies on encryption issues, however they did not have a solution on how to begin. Findings from this study can be used to move forward the conversation between the technology companies and mobile forensic examiners, in order to come to an understanding with each other, with a comprise everyone can live with. Future research can gather information on how the technology companies perceive the privacy and encryption concerns, resulting in positive social change.

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