On December 1st, WikiLeaks, a non-profit association of anonymous journalists defending the human rights, published an interactive map featuring countries that are spying on mobile users. WikiLeaks listed Oxygen Software as one of the vendors supplying governments with solutions helping them spy on their citizens. Oxygen Software is proud to make it to the list, but denies these accusations. Oxygen Software is not affiliated with WikiLeaks in any way.
WikiLeaks Accusations
According to WikiLeaks Spyfiles Map, Oxygen Software, among other companies listed, is (quoting WikiLeaks) “Selling Surveillance to Dictators”. Countries such as Libya and Egypt are mentioned. Other accusations include the manufacturing of viruses (Trojans) that, quoting WikiLeaks, “hijack individual computers and phones (including iPhones, Blackberries and Androids),” “take over the device,” “record its every use, movement, and even the sights and sounds of the room it is in.”
According to an article published in PRWeb, things aren’t quite that easy for Oxygen Software and other manufacturers of mobile forensic tools. The article states that while it would be nice for a law enforcement agency and investigators to be able to manufacture a “virus” to “hijack” someone’s cell phone and skip the painful, slow and lengthy process of performing a complete forensic analysis of iPhones confiscated from suspects and outright criminals, the real thing is not as easy. Instead of using a “virus” or a “Trojan” the company has to perform a comprehensive and well-documented process where every step is tracked and the authenticity of information being acquired is of utmost importance. “After all, that data could end up being used in court, and all evidence must be obtained in a certain way with many formalities,” says Nickolay Golubev, Public Relations Manager, Oxygen Software.
What Oxygen Software does do is manufacture and supply law enforcement agencies a comprehensive mobile forensic suite. The suite allows investigators accessing and analyzing data stored in a wide range of supported mobile devices such as phones, communicators, iPhones, Blackberries and alike. The company and its law enforcement customers consider Oxygen Forensic Suite a working tool helping officers investigate crimes and obtain evidence that can be legally used in the court. The tool also allows investigators to automatically trace connections between phones confiscated from different people, often bringing discoveries leading to prevention of crime and acts of terrorism.
About Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011
Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011 helps investigators and forensic specialists to access and analyze data from a variety of mobile devices such as cell phones, smartphones, communicators, PDA and tablet PCs. Currently supporting more than 2,500 different models, Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011 covers the widest range of mobile devices compared to competition, and allows fully automated acquisition and analysis of supported devices.
The unique Timeline feature offers convenient, single-place access to all activities and movements performed by the user arranged by date and time. Investigators can track user location at every moment, build and map their historic routes, and clearly see all activities performed by the user at each location.
Another signature feature of Oxygen Forensic Suite allows investigators to perform a global search on all devices ever analyzed with the toolkit. The global search reveals any connections (e.g., common contacts, exchanged calls, texts or emails) between the phone owners.
Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011 guarantees zero-footprint operation, leaving no traces and making no modifications to the content of the devices, making it the tool of choice among government and law enforcement agencies, security services and forensic organizations in more than fifty countries.
About Oxygen Software
Oxygen Software was founded in 2000. It claims to offer the most advanced forensic data examination tools for smartphones and mobile devices. The company is said to deliver the most universal forensic solutions covering the widest range of mobile devices running Symbian, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iOS, and Android operating systems.
Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011 Giveaway
For a limited time, Oxygen Software is giving away free licenses for Oxygen Forensic Suite 2011 Standard to eligible law enforcement customers. The giveaway begins on December 5th 2011, and ends on January 5th 2012. The free licenses are unlocked, unlimited and fully functional but not eligible for discounted upgrades and renewals.
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