Mobile Forensics: Advanced Investigative Strategies

Key Features

• A straightforward guide to address the roadblocks face when doing mobile forensics
• Simplify mobile forensics using the right mix of methods, techniques, and tools
• Get valuable advice to put you in the mindset of a forensic professional, regardless of your career level or experience

Book Description

Investigating digital media is impossible without forensic tools. Dealing with complex forensic problems requires the use of dedicated tools, and even more importantly, the right strategies. In this book, you’ll learn strategies and methods to deal with information stored on smartphones and tablets and see how to put the right tools to work.

We begin by helping you understand the concept of mobile devices as a source of valuable evidence. Throughout this book, you will explore strategies and "plays" and decide when to use each technique. We cover important techniques such as seizing techniques to shield the device, and acquisition techniques including physical acquisition (via a USB connection), logical acquisition via data backups, over-the-air acquisition. We also explore cloud analysis, evidence discovery and data analysis, tools for mobile forensics, and tools to help you discover and analyze evidence.

By the end of the book, you will have a better understanding of the tools and methods used to deal with the challenges of acquiring, preserving, and extracting evidence stored on smartphones, tablets, and the cloud.

What you will learn

• Understand the challenges of mobile forensics
• Grasp how to properly deal with digital evidence
• Explore the types of evidence available on iOS, Android, Windows, and BlackBerry mobile devices
• Know what forensic outcome to expect under given circumstances
• Deduce when and how to apply physical, logical, over-the-air, or low-level (advanced) acquisition methods
• Get in-depth knowledge of the different acquisition methods for all major mobile platforms
• Discover important mobile acquisition tools and techniques for all of the major platforms

About the Author

Oleg Afonin is a researcher and an expert in digital forensics. He is a frequent speaker at industry-known conferences such as CEIC, HTCIA, FT-Day, Techno Forensics, and others. Oleg has co-authored multiple publications on IT security and mobile forensics. With years of experience in the digital forensics and security domain, Oleg has led forensic training courses for law enforcement departments in multiple countries.

Vladimir Katalov is CEO, co-founder, and co-owner of ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. Vladimir manages all technical research and product development in the company. He regularly presents at various events and regularly runs security and computer forensics training both for foreign and domestic (Russian) computer investigative committees and other law enforcement organizations.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing Mobile Forensics
2. Acquisition Methods Overview
3. Acquisition – Approaching Android Devices
4. Practical Steps to Android Acquisition
5. iOS – Introduction and Physical Acquisition
6. iOS Logical and Cloud Acquisition
7. Acquisition – Approaching Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile
8. Acquisition – Approaching Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and RT Tablets
9. Acquisition – Approaching BlackBerry
10. Dealing with Issues, Obstacles, and Special Cases
11. Mobile Forensic Tools and Case Studies