USA flag logo/image

An Official Website of the United States Government

Method for a Comprehensive Memory Parser for Solid State Drives (SSDs)

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Homeland Security 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
 Program Year/Program:
2012 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
DHS SBIR-2012.2-H-SB012.2-001-0008-I 		Solicitation Year:
2012 		Solicitation Topic Code:
H-SB012.2-001 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
S34A, Inc.
1532 N. Wakefield St Arlington, VA 22207
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2012
Title: Method for a Comprehensive Memory Parser for Solid State Drives (SSDs)
Agency: DHS
Contract: HSHQDC-12-C-00079
Award Amount: $96,999.94
 

Abstract:

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"

Principal Investigator:

Hank Wallace
hwallace@s34a.com

Business Contact:

LeMarque Sheppard
lemarque@s34a.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

S34A, Inc.
1532 N. Wakefield St Arlington, VA 22207-2138

EIN/Tax ID: 855358700
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No