SBIR-STTR Award

S34A, Inc. proposes research into methodologies for creating a coherent Logical Block Address (LBA) space in order to produce comprehensive images of the contents of solid state drives. Solid state drives (SSDs) are increasing in popularity - replacing traditional hard disk drives - and proliferating across a wide range of portable consumer devices. Unfortunately for law enforcement and forensic examiners, traditional forensic approaches used with hard disk drives are inadequate and irrelevant when applied to SSDs given the unique firmware, wear leveling, garbage collection, and TRIM algorithms used by SSDs. An alternative to write-blocking tools developed for hard disk drives is essential. At the end of a successful Phase I effort, S34A, Inc. will have developed a methodology that allows for the parsing of data from SSDs from multiple SSD manufacturers. The result of Phase II will be the development of a common set of hardware and software tools for parsing of data from multiple SSDs. These tools will provide Federal, State, and Local law enforcement with a capability that simply does not exist today. With SSD shipments expected to top 200 million units by 2016, this innovation will be critical to the continued, effective performance of day-to-day law enforcement activities across the globe. Technology readiness level at beginning of Phase 1: "1" Technology readiness level at conclusion of Phase 1: "3"

S34A, Inc. proposes to build upon our successful Phase I R&D effort and commence the development of an integrated hardware, software, and service solution that facilitates the extraction of forensic data from SSDs - data that resides outside the Logical Block Address (LBA) space and is not accessible traditional computer forensic techniques. This product development work will be performed in coordination with experts from a number of Federal computer forensics labs. When complete, the hardware and software products from Phase II will allow forensic examiners to exploit "stale," deleted or overwritten data that has been removed from the user addressable space as a result of garbage collection and TRIM commands. This integrated solution will provide Federal, State, and Local law enforcement with a capability that does not exist today. With SSD shipments expected to top 240 million units by 2016, this solution set will be essential to the effective performance of day-to-day law enforcement efforts to combat criminal and terrorist acts. TRL at beginning of Phase II - 4. TRL at end of Phase II - 8.