Mobile Forensics Training Resources

Buying the right kit is half the job. The people using it need the skills too. This page collects the training options for two areas where hands-on skill makes the most difference: repairing damaged phones so the evidence can be recovered, and examining vehicle systems.

Forensic repair: getting damaged devices working again

A phone that turns up dead, water damaged or with a failed charging port is no use to anyone until it works again. Our forensic repair training teaches the board-level skills to get it there. It is practical work at the bench on real iPhone, iPad and Samsung logic boards, with very little sitting and listening.

Every course is run in person at our training lab, FoneFunShop Ltd, 132 Handsworth Road, Sheffield, S9 4AE. Sessions are one-to-one or one-to-two (two people at most) with one of our engineers. The day runs from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, lunch is provided, and you leave with a completion certificate.

Most of the time goes on fault finding on logic boards, which means finding damaged components and testing them for resistance, value and function. You will replace charging ports using our 4-stage process. That is removing the port, cleaning and prepping the board, fitting the new one and repairing any damaged tracks so data and charging work again. You also practise removing and fitting surface-mounted components (preheat, remove, clean, fit), and get properly comfortable with a soldering iron and hot air, including temperature and airflow control and how to use solder, paste and flux.

There are 1-day and 2-day micro soldering courses, 2-day and 3-day advanced fault finding, diagnostics and microsoldering courses, and a 5-day beginner to advanced course that adds disassembly, screens, batteries, flex cables and testing repaired devices. We recommend booking at least three weeks ahead. Call us on 0114 243 7800 for details.

View all forensic repair training courses

3 Day Advanced Fault Finding, Diagnostics and Microsoldering Course

Vehicle forensics

Modern cars hold a surprising amount of data. Infotainment and telematics units can record paired phones, contacts, call logs, messages, navigation history and other events, and that can matter a great deal to an investigation. Getting at it takes specialist knowledge of how these systems are built and where the data lives.

For dedicated training, Berla runs a five-day (40-hour) iVe Vehicle System Forensics course. It covers identifying supported vehicles and systems, preserving evidence, removing systems from vehicles, carrying out acquisitions and analysing the results. There are no prerequisites and the certification exams are optional. It is open to law enforcement, military, government and selected private organisations at scheduled locations. Full details and dates are on the Berla Vehicle System Forensics training page.

When a vehicle unit's memory has to be read directly, chip-off is another route. Our Vehicle Forensics UP-828 Chip-Off Kit covers the hardware side, and our article Chip-off for car stereos and IVI: where the UP-828P fits explains where it is useful.

UP-828P Vehicle Forensics Chip-Off Kit

Learn more

For an overview of the hardware from seizure through to extraction, covering Faraday isolation, chip-off, JTAG, ISP, inspection and repair, read our guide Mobile Forensics Hardware: From Seizure to Extraction, or browse our Mobile Forensics range.