cstick Cotton Candy – Another device for forensics to consider

Jon Rajewski computer forensics

We’ve all seen USB boot devices running our favorite Linux distros, but what about a standalone device that looks like a normal thumb drive that’s actually a standalone computer?
Meet the csstick Cotton Candy. This device can run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich/Ubuntu operating systems and can be connected to anything with a HDMI input (TV/monitor etc) and have the ability to connect to wireless /Bluetooth. 

The Cotton Candy – Many colors to choose from

This means a lot for digital forensic investigators tasked with searching for evidence. Not only do we need to find this physical device, but we might need to examine atypical devices such as televisions or home theater equipment for evidence of this device being connected/used.

Here are the details and specifications for the csstick Cotton Candy website

  • Provide consumer-friendly access to the Cloud
  • Accelerate the adoption of “smart screens”
  • Extend the life of consumer hardware like laptops, monitors, TVs, set top boxes, tablets and more by accessing the latest OS, software and apps.
  • Provide a consistent experience across all screens
  • Create a single point of content storage.
  • Consolidation and organization of personal digital content.
  • Share media from mobile devices on large screens and projectors – videos, movies, photos, games and more.
  • Drive down the cost of computing, allowing more people to have a personal, secure computer.

Software Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Ubuntu Linux for ARM
CPU and Memory ARM Cortex A9@1.2GHz
Quad Core ARM Mali-400MP Graphics Processing Unit
1GB DRAM
Up to 64GB memory local storage (microSD)
Media support and Connectivity 480p/720p/1080p decode of MPEG4-SP/H.263/H.264 AVC/MPEG-2/VC1
MP3, AAC, AAC+, Real Audio
JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG
Additional video, audio and image formats can be supported through 3rd party codecs

USB 2.0 male connector for power and connection to devices that supports USB mass storage
HDMI 1.3 Connector with audio
Wifi 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR