Mobile Forensics Starter Kit

Dear Readers,

Mobile devices are nowadays an inseparable element of our reality. Probably none of us can imagine functioning without a smartphone, and tablets replace books, TV sets, or computers. These devices are also data carriers that can be a real treat for a forensic analysis specialist.

For this reason, this month we have prepared for you a magazine devoted to Mobile Forensics, dedicated to people who want to start their adventure in this field. Our wonderful authors have prepared texts that introduce this topic, describe the basic concepts, and show how to conduct specific investigations using various techniques step by step.

In the magazine you will find, among other things:

• answer to the question about what Pegasus is,
• a tutorial on how to extract and analyze data from iOS and Android devices,
• tips on how to secure mobile devices to ensure the security of corporate data (VPN, NAC),
• an explanation of the difference between mobile forensics and computer forensics,
• a tutorial on how to use Oxygen Forensics Tool,
• a guidebook, from which you will learn the forms of data extraction from mobile devices, what tools are most useful in specific data extraction cases (Cellebrite UFED Touch, MicroSystemation XRY), and how to prepare an analysis report!

So if you want to learn mobile forensics, but expand your knowledge about securing mobile devices in your organization, be sure to reach out for this edition!

Check out our Table of Contents below for more information about each article (we included short leads for you). 

We hope that you enjoy reading this issue! As always, huge thanks to all the authors, reviewers, to our amazing proofreaders, and of course you, our readers, for staying with us! :)

Regards,

Michalina Szpyrka

and the eForensics Magazine Editorial Team 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Mobile Forensics 101

by Atlas Stark 

Today’s world is fraught with information overload and never-ending data streams containing countless varieties of data types. Texts, voice calls, advertisements, movies, and memes, just to name a few, fill the information highway at alarming rates. At the heart of that data creation and transmittance largely are mobile devices. Phones and tablets make up most of the provisioned devices, however, there are some fringe devices gaining popularity at the time of this article, the Gemini and Ticwatch just to name a couple, that are capable of running Kali Linux.

Mobile Forensics For Beginners

by Longinus Timochenco

Currently, companies and governments have become targets of virtual attacks and malicious people due to the vulnerabilities of their computerized systems, as more and more companies are consolidated with IT (Information Technology), whether in the use of computers or smartphones, where you have access to corporate information at any time. Even though they have been part of our lives for some time and keeping us in constant communication, these devices are acting, among other functions, as a portable office, social entertainment tool.

Effective Ways To Improve Business Firm Network Security

by Ahmed Adesanya

Dealing with security breaches is a real challenge for many organizations, and the threat of losing sensitive data is significant. It is critical to be ready for them because threats are unquestionably growing and changing. According to the recent Cybersecurity Ventures 2022 “Cybersecurity Almanac,” organizations will spend approximately US$1.75 trillion on cybersecurity between 2021 and 2025. 

An Introduction Into Mobile Forensics For Beginners

by Richard Harding

Unlike traditional computer forensics, mobile forensics presents an entirely different set of challenges for forensic examiners, be it on an active crime scene or within a digital forensic lab, these challenges can be overwhelming for beginners. In comparison to the guidelines, processes and techniques used for computer forensics, mobile forensics is an entirely different landscape altogether. This article aims to break down some of the initial barriers beginners to this field will face, some methods to extract data from a mobile device, as well as the more well-known software solutions available to forensic examiners, all from the perspective of a digital forensics’ student.

Painting The Big Picture: Strategic Insights On Mobile Device Security

by Roland Gharfine

Snarky introductions aside, let us talk business. What do you hear when someone mentions the term “mobile device”? Do you immediately think of smartphones? Congratulations, you’re part of the majority. However, I will invite you to acquire a slightly different perspective today, one that classifies mobile devices as any device with either an independent energy source (usually a battery), or that can be transported off-premises without significant interruption to its functionality or quality, for example, flash drives and external hard drives. What do we stand to gain by this expansion of the definition? Well, it’s quite simple: security controls don’t follow neat human classification lines. If you want to ensure coverage of the full security picture, then you want to include any and all types of devices and utilities that can be used in your IT landscape. We will still primarily discuss mobile phones in our arguments, but where appropriate, we will expand our recommendations to other types of devices.

Stay Safe - Avoid Pegasus!

by Anonymous Author

In today’s world, the use of mobile devices is common. The State of Mobile report by App Annie shows that in 2021, users used mobile devices for 3.8 trillion hours, which is 4.8 hours a day. Statistics show that by January 2021, Google detected 2.1 million phishing pages. The effect of such wide use of mobile devices is the increased risk of data loss, infecting these devices with malware, or using them by state services. One of the programs that can extract data from your mobile device, including the most sensitive ones, and which have recently made a huge „career” is Pegasus. From this text, you will learn what Pegasus is, how it works, and how you can check if it has attacked your mobile devices.

Email Forensics 

by Daniele Giomo

When we look at a message in Outlook, Gmail, or any other mail domain, we only see a fraction of the data contained in the email. The e-mails contain the subject, date, recipients and the content of the message itself. However, looking at the email header gives you all the information you need to perform forensic analysis of the email. The most important ones are the path the email reached its destination and the results of the authentication tests. Investigating these headers may be helpful in detecting phishing emails.

Conducting Forensic Analysis In Mobile Device

by Anudeep Nayakoti

Digital Forensics is used for recovering and investigating the assets retrieved from the devices after a cybercrime. The device can be either a laptop or tablet or a mobile device. This article chiefly focuses on conducting forensics on mobile devices using some of the popular forensic tools. 

Mobile Forensics – The Digital Investigation Process In Mobile Devices

by Deivison Franco, Daniel Müller, Cleber Soares and Joas Santos

Mobile devices are present in the lives of almost every person in the form of mobile phones and tablets, among others. Thus, the expert examination of these devices can provide valuable information and evidence for criminal investigation and prosecution. However, the wide range of brands, models and operating systems, as well as the short life cycle of these products, offers a considerable challenge for the Computer Forensics experts. Unlike the classical methods of examination of computers, there is no fail-safe method for performing skills on mobile devices. In this article, the main aspects that should be considered to ensure the preservation of material evidence coupled with the recovery of as much information as possible in this device category will be analyzed.

Forensic Investigator Mobile In The Lost World Of Crime

by  Wilson Mendes

Today's smartphones are much more used for socializing than making phone calls. Tablets, increasingly equipped with powerful processors and much more storage capacity, are no longer used only as entertainment devices. Smartphones and tablets are replacing camcorders, digital cameras, book and newspaper readers, TVs, navigation and communication devices, and even game consoles, competing very successfully for users' attention with computers and smartphones.