“Our Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) is able to retrieve data from a mobile phone — from the technology of a suspicious person.”
He says “someone could think that if they press delete the message is gone — but it’s not the case.”
With around 15,000 UFED devices deployed to agencies across 60 countries and with more than 50 per cent of forensic revenue stemming from the United States — the company is a recognised authority in the market. Clients have included the Indian army, West Yorkshire and Japanese police.
Cellebrite’s expertise extends to its retail division. The company’s Universal Memory Exchanger (UME) technology, targets the everyday mobile user. It facilitates back-up storage and the swift transfer of data from on device to another.
Mr Carmil explains that “the UME can access technology from a source to a target phone. You can transfer all your contacts from a Blackberry to an iPhone, from a Siemans to a Nokia and from a PC to iCloud using this device.”
It is a swift and convenient mechanism for consumers who can access the helpful facility at mobile retail stores.
In the UK, consumers access the service via the Carphone Warehouse, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodaphone stores. The global service sees 250,000 transactions each year at 145,000 stores.
“It was something that was never done before,” claims Mr Carmil. “It reduces barriers from each different phone.”
Without a doubt, Cellebrite is established in the mobile industry. But in a competitive digital market, the Israeli company faces challenges.
“Cellebrite suffers from the fact that we have to work hard not to lose our customers,” says Mr Carmil. “We have a lot of ideas but always try to keep our technology simple.
“In Hebrew we have a saying, keep it simple, even stupid.”
Mr Carmil, 46, grew up in Petah Tikva. He has worked as director of ITS Telecom and as vice president of mobile Siemens commercial division in Israel.
As part of the Cellebrite’s founding generation, he has watched it expand from five to 290 employees.
In 2007, Cellebrite was sold and is now a fully-owned subsidiary of the Japanese Sun Corporation. The sell was part of a “strategic decision to grow,” according to Mr Carmil.
He says it faciliates access to markets beyond Cellebrite’s subsidiaries in the US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Singapore and Brazil. The company has no Middle East base outside of Israel, but Mr Carmil says “there is no reason we can’t pursue other regions”.
www.cellebrite.com
