Exclusive — Castviz Software

CASTViz is a specialized geographic information system (GIS) developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It is designed primarily for the Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) to parse, organize, and visualize complex cellular data for law enforcement and investigative purposes. 🛠️ Core Capabilities

CASTViz converts raw telecommunications data into actionable intelligence through several key functions:

Data Parsing: Automatically organizes Call Detail Records (CDRs) and tower data, typically from CSV or Excel files.

Geospatial Visualization: Plots cell-site locations and tower sectors on interactive maps to track movements or establish patterns.

Lead Generation: Identifies potential suspect "hideouts" or homes by analyzing the first and last calls made each day.

Cross-Referencing: Integrates non-cellular data, such as social media records, digital advertising IDs, and automated license plate reader (ALPR) logs. 💻 Technical Architecture

The software is built on a modern, cross-platform stack but is primarily developed and optimized for macOS and Linux.

Frontend: Developed using React, LESS, and HTML, running within an Electron wrapper.

Backend: Utilizes an embedded Jetty server running on OpenJDK Java.

Database: Powered by a SQL H2 Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). ⚖️ Usage & Compliance

Because CASTViz handles sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and criminal justice data, it is subject to strict regulatory frameworks:

Access Control: Primarily reserved for FBI personnel and authorized state, local, or tribal law enforcement partners.

Regulatory Standards: Users must comply with VA Handbooks 6102/6500 and NIST/FIPS standards regarding sensitive data protection.

Availability: While sometimes categorized as "freeware" within government circles, it has no associated licensing fee for authorized agencies. ⚠️ Known Risks & Limitations

Security Vulnerabilities: Some versions (e.g., v35.0.0) have been noted for using outdated Java JDK versions (17.0.2.0).

Support: As a non-commercial government tool, it lacks enterprise-level support channels common in proprietary software.

Privacy Concerns: Its ability to plot detailed location history has raised civil liberty and racial equity concerns in various surveillance reports.

If you are drafting this for a legal case, technical manual, or policy review, please let me know. I can help you:

Detail the legal admissibility of CASTViz evidence in court.

Outline a training curriculum based on the FBI's CAST Basic Cell Site Analysis. Draft technical setup guides for law enforcement IT teams. CASTViz - VA.gov castviz software exclusive

CASTViz: An Exclusive Look at the FBI’s Specialized Analysis Software

CASTViz is a specialized geographic information system (GIS) developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) specifically for its Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST). This exclusive tool is designed to help law enforcement agencies parse, organize, and visualize complex cellular and geospatial data to generate leads during criminal investigations. The Core Mission of CASTViz

The primary function of CASTViz is to transform raw data from wireless carriers—such as Call Detail Records (CDRs) and cell tower locations—into clear, interactive visual aids like maps, charts, and graphs. By automating the plotting of this data, the software allows investigators to track the general movements of a cellular device at specific times, which can be critical for locating missing persons or tracking suspects. Key Technical Capabilities

Data Ingestion: CASTViz is highly versatile, capable of importing records in common formats like CSV or Excel. Beyond cellular records, it can cross-reference data from social media providers, app developers, and even automated license plate readers.

Geospatial Mapping: It accurately depicts the general location of a device at the time it connected to a network.

Lead Generation: Features such as identifying the "first and last call" of the day can help law enforcement pinpoint a suspect's potential home or hideout.

Exportability: Maps and analysis can be exported as KMZ files for further review in platforms like Google Earth Pro. Exclusive Access and Training

CASTViz is not available to the general public. It is provided at no cost exclusively to law enforcement agencies. However, the software and instructions are typically distributed only through specialized training programs. — CAST Basic Cell Site Analysis - FBI.gov

CASTViz is a high-specialty Geographic Information System (GIS) developed by the FBI to transform raw cellular data into actionable investigative leads. Primarily used by the Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), this exclusive software serves as a critical bridge between complex telecommunications logs and visual evidence. Core Capabilities of CASTViz

The software is engineered to automate the tedious process of parsing and plotting massive datasets provided by cellular carriers. Its primary functions include:

Data Visualization: Quickly plots Call Detail Records (CDR) and tower data, turning spreadsheets into interactive maps, charts, and graphs.

Geospatial Mapping: Depicts the general location of a mobile device at the time of network connection, helping investigators track criminal movements or find missing persons.

Cross-Platform Integration: While natively developed on macOS and Linux, the software runs on Windows and can export data as KMZ files for advanced analysis in Google Earth Pro.

Multi-Source Support: Beyond cellular logs, it can ingest data from app providers, social media, and automated license plate readers (ALPR). Access and Availability

CASTViz is not a commercial product; it is a restricted tool provided at no cost exclusively to law enforcement agencies.

Training Requirements: The FBI offers a Basic Historical Cell Site Analysis course, a two-day intensive training that provides officers with both the software and the expertise required to use it effectively.

Courtroom Use: While CASTViz is powerful for lead generation, the maps and analysis it generates must be validated for accuracy before being introduced as evidence in court, typically requiring testimony from a qualified expert. Technical Framework

For developers and IT professionals within authorized agencies, the CASTViz stack is built on modern, robust technologies: Frontend: React and Electron. Backend: Embedded Jetty server running on OpenJDK. Database: SQL H2 RDBMS. Investigative Advantages

By providing a unified interface for disparate data sources, CASTViz allows investigators to identify "home" or "hideout" locations based on the first and last calls of the day. This capability, combined with its ability to cross-reference digital "area dumps" from major providers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, makes it an indispensable tool for modern policing. CAST / castviz - GitLab CASTViz is a specialized geographic information system (GIS)

Blog Title: Behind the Screen: An Exclusive First Look at CastViz’s New Predictive Analytics Engine

Posted by: The CastViz Engineering Team Read Time: 4 minutes

If you work in metal casting, you know the drill: You pour hours into a simulation, wait for the results, and then spend even more time interpreting complex contour plots. You’ve asked for faster feedback, smarter insights, and fewer late-night rabbit holes.

Today, we’re delivering exactly that.

In this CastViz Software Exclusive, we are pulling back the curtain on our most ambitious update to date: CastViz Insight AI (Version 3.2) . This isn't just a patch or a UI refresh. This is a fundamental shift in how casting simulation data is processed, visualized, and acted upon.

What is CastViz? (The Zero-Compromise Overview)

CastViz is a specialized simulation software designed explicitly for the investment casting process. While other tools treat casting as a general thermodynamics problem, CastViz was built from the ground up to handle the unique physics of ceramic shells, wax patterns, and high-temperature alloy deformation.

However, the keyword here is "exclusive." Many companies claim to offer casting simulation. CastViz offers an ecosystem.

The CastViz Software Exclusive refers to the proprietary modules and workflow integrations that you cannot find anywhere else on the market. These are the features that turn a standard PC into a predictive foundry AI.

User Testimonials: The "Aha!" Moment

"We used a competitor for 10 years. We constantly had issues with thin-wall blade cores shifting. Within two weeks of using the CastViz exclusive shell mapping, we discovered our drying racks were the culprit. We saved $2 million in scrap in the first quarter." – CTO, Midwest Aerospace Casting

"The wax injection exclusive is a lifesaver. We thought our die was worn out. CastViz showed us that our wax temperature variance was 2 degrees too high at the nozzle. We fixed the chiller, not the tool. That insight is exclusive to CastViz." – Process Engineer, Medical Implants

C. Heat Maps

Used to identify a target's "Pattern of Life."

  • Activation: Toggle the "Heat Map" layer.
  • Interpretation: Red zones indicate high-density dwell times (where the target sleeps or works). Blue zones indicate transit areas.

2. The Dashboard & Interface

Upon launching CASTVIZ, you are greeted by a map-centric interface. Here are the primary control zones:

  • The Map Canvas: The central area displaying GIS layers, tower locations, and target tracks.
  • The Layers Panel: Typically on the left. This controls the visibility of different data sets (e.g., Tower Polygons, Route Lines, Heatmaps).
  • The Data Table: Usually located at the bottom. This displays the raw tabular data (Time, Phone Number, Lat/Long) for the selected items on the map.
  • The Timeline Control: Often located at the bottom or top. This is the critical component for temporal analysis, allowing you to "scrub" through time to see where a target was at a specific moment.

6. Troubleshooting & Expert Tips

  • Issue: "Towers appear in the ocean."
    • Fix: Check your Lat/Long headers. They may be swapped (Lat is Long, Long is Lat).
  • Issue: "The cones are pointing the wrong way."
    • Fix: Check the Azimuth data. Ensure it is in degrees (0-360) and not radians, or that it represents "True North" rather than "Magnetic North."
  • Pro Tip: Beam Width Adjustment.
    • Standard beam width is often set to 120 degrees (for 3-sector sites) or 60 degrees (for 6-sector sites). If you are working with rural or specialized data, manually adjust the beam width in the settings to tighten the probability area.
  • Pro Tip: Date Normalization.
    • Phone records often come from different carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T). Each uses different timestamp formats. Always convert all data to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) before importing to CASTVIZ to prevent timeline errors.

B. Route Analysis & Tracking

Once data is ingested, CASTVIZ connects the dots chronologically.

  • Creating a Track: Select a target phone number from the dropdown. The software draws a line connecting the tower sectors in chronological order.
  • Speed/Travel Analysis: The software can calculate if the movement between towers is physically possible (identifying "burner phone" swaps or co-location).

CastViz Software — An Exclusive Tale

Evelyn Lin had always been drawn to patterns. As a pediatric radiologist, she read scans the way others read novels: a subtle shadow, an odd contour, a recursive line could unfold an entire narrative about a child's health. When she left hospital life at forty-two to found CastViz, she wanted to build software that could make hidden structures speak, not just in medicine but across industries where visual data sat unused: construction, manufacturing, archaeology.

CastViz began in a cramped co-working loft above a textile factory. The team was three people and one whiteboard full of half-formed ideas: deep image analysis, intuitive visualization, and—Evelyn insisted—an emphasis on decisions, not just diagnostics. She didn’t want another analytics dashboard. She wanted a companion that guided users through uncertainty. The working mantra became: “Reveal, explain, act.”

Their first product, CastViz Core, stitched together computer vision, physics-aware modeling and an interface designed like a storybook. Upload a scan or a set of photos and CastViz traced not only the obvious outlines but probable causes, structural weak points, and a range of likely next states. For a pediatrician uncertain about a growing lesion, for a structural engineer assessing a bridge after a storm, CastViz proposed ranked hypotheses and practical steps—imaging suggestions, material tests, temporary supports.

They marketed CastViz as exclusive from the beginning. Not by price alone—though they did choose subscription tiers that discouraged casual users—but by experience. Onboarding was personal: every new client had a video walk-through with a CastViz analyst who tailored the software’s settings to the client’s workflows. The team believed exclusivity sharpened trust; if a client invested time with CastViz people, they’d rely on the product. It also let the developers learn directly from use cases and refine models faster than traditional software cycles.

The exclusivity paid off in two ways. First, CastViz cultivated a small, vocal community of expert users who pushed the tool in new directions. A conservation biologist used it to analyze satellite mosaics of coral reefs, teaching CastViz to highlight bleaching patterns. A vintage car restorer trained it to detect microfractures in chrome plating. The software adapted through tight feedback loops and bespoke model fine-tuning for each domain.

Second, being selective attracted high-value partnerships. A boutique aerospace firm contracted CastViz to analyze composite-panel failures. A world heritage lab invited them to help restore frescoes by mapping hidden underdrawings. Every partnership added a layer of domain knowledge, and the team built an internal “library of casts”: modular analysis routines tailored to industries, which became the product’s secret sauce. Blog Title: Behind the Screen: An Exclusive First

But the story of CastViz’s exclusivity had moral thorns. The company’s careful curation sometimes slid toward gatekeeping. Small clinics and independent craftsmen—those whose problems the founders claimed to want to solve—often couldn’t afford the onboarding or didn’t meet the enterprise thresholds. A community maker-space reached out to scan a historical press, only to be told their volume was too low for a custom setup. Evelyn wrestled with this; she argued that the mission was to produce reliable, action-oriented insights, and that half-measures could do harm. Still, she began to wonder if exclusivity, framed as quality, was excluding meaningful and worthy users.

The tension came to a head when CastViz was called to consult after a catastrophic collapse of a century-old warehouse. The local firefighters used their tactical drones to capture hundreds of images. The city asked teams to prioritize which zones were salvageable and which posed collapse risks. CastViz analysts worked through the night, mapping likely load paths and suggesting limited shoring strategies. Their recommendations saved lives and accelerated safe access for investigators.

The publicity that followed changed everything. Smaller firms, nonprofits, and even municipal agencies demanded access. Journalists praised CastViz’s “life-saving exclusivity” but also questioned who decided which communities deserved priority. Evelyn saw the writing on the wall: the brand’s curated model had protected quality, but it couldn’t remain walled off from crises or everyday needs.

So CastViz evolved. They launched CastViz Foundation, a subsidized channel that offered lighter, community-focused versions of their analysis, staffed by trained volunteers and supported by a grant fund. The Foundation’s tools were less customized but still carried the core’s rigor. They also implemented a tiered mentoring program so small users could learn to self-tune models without full enterprise onboarding.

The company kept its premium line—Evelyn believed core revenue would sustain further research—but the Foundation opened the door to a wider world. A volunteer analyst in Medellín used CastViz Foundation to map informal housing vulnerabilities, helping communities apply for targeted repairs. A university lab in Prague used it to discover foliage-rooted erosion previously overlooked in river engineering models.

Behind the scenes, the technology matured too. CastViz introduced “explainable casts”—visual narratives that not only showed a result but traced the chain of reasoning: the sensor anomalies, the pattern matches, the physical simulations. Users could probe alternative hypotheses, run counterfactuals, and export step-by-step playbooks. This level of transparency assuaged skeptics who feared black-box claims and made the software easier to adopt across regulated domains.

Not everything smoothed out. Competing companies began offering cheaper, wider-distribution tools. CastViz’s enterprise clients loved the bespoke support and kept renewing, but margins tightened. Evelyn faced a strategic choice: double down on high-touch premium services or push to commodify parts of the pipeline to recapture scale.

She chose both. The company modularized: a lightweight CastViz Lite for broad distribution, an API for partners, and CastViz Atelier—a high-touch consulting arm for complex, high-stakes problems. The Atelier worked like a surgical team: specialists flown in, models tuned to rare materials, day-long workshops with client engineers.

Years later, CastViz’s name was part of a handful of stories about thoughtful software—tools that married craft with science, and exclusivity with responsibility. Evelyn’s early insistence on revealing and explaining remained central: CastViz never promised certainty, only clearer questions and practical next steps. The exclusivity she once defended shifted from a gate to a layered set of offerings—scalable access that still preserved the depth that had made the product trusted.

In the end, CastViz became a study in balance. Exclusivity had protected quality and cultivated expertise; openness had expanded impact and fairness. The company learned that being exclusive wasn’t a permanent identity but a tool: use it to safeguard outcomes, then widen the aperture when consequences demanded it. And in basements, labs, and field sites around the world, CastViz traces—quiet, illuminating—continued to turn pictures into better decisions.

—

CASTViz is a specialized geographic information system (GIS) software developed by the FBI's Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) to help law enforcement visualize and analyze cellular data.

While it is an internal tool, several high-quality blog posts and resources detail its features and importance in modern investigations:

FBI Exposes Cellular Data Evidence Availability: This post by Sensei Enterprises discusses how CASTViz is used to plot call detail records (CDRs) and tower data to visualize a suspect's movements.

FOIA Request Reveals FBI Data Analysis: An article from Criminal Legal News explains how the tool is versatile enough to cross-reference data from social media and automated license plate readers, not just cell provider records.

CASTViz GitLab Repository: For technical details, the Official GitLab mirror provides a "well-documented" overview of its software stack (React, Electron, SQL H2) and setup instructions for developers.

VA Technical Reference Model: The VA.gov TRM page confirms that CASTViz is a "no licensing fee" technology used for lead generation and investigative purposes, noting its unique functionality for plotting geospatial records. Key Features for Law Enforcement

Visual Movement Mapping: Converts complex CSV/Excel call records into interactive maps and animated timelines.

Data Normalization: Automatically parses and organizes tower data from various carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) into a unified format.

Lead Generation: Identifies "first and last call" locations of the day to help establish a suspect's home or hideout.

Free for Law Enforcement: Provided at no cost to law enforcement agencies through the National Domestic Communications Assistance Center (NDCAC). CAST / castviz - GitLab