Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Subject: LCSH

Computer forensics, Cyber forensics, Mobile device forensics

Disciplines

Computer Engineering | Computer Sciences | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Forensic Science and Technology | Information Security

Abstract

The increased use of social networking applications on smartphones makes these devices a goldmine for forensic investigators. Potential evidence can be held on these devices and recovered with the right tools and examination methods. This paper focuses on conducting forensic analyses on three widely used social networking applications on smartphones: Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. The tests were conducted on three popular smartphones: BlackBerrys, iPhones, and Android phones. The tests consisted of installing the social networking applications on each device, conducting common user activities through each application, acquiring a forensically sound logical image of each device, and performing manual forensic analysis on each acquired logical image. The forensic analyses were aimed at determining whether activities conducted through these applications were stored on the device’s internal memory. If so, the extent, significance, and location of the data that could be found and retrieved from the logical image of each device were determined. The results show that no traces could be recovered from BlackBerry devices. However, iPhones and Android phones store a significant amount of valuable data that could be recovered and used by forensic investigators.

Comments

Dr. Baggili was appointed to the University of New Haven’s Elder Family Endowed Chair in 2015.

(C) 2012 A. Marrington, N. Al Mutawa & I. Baggili. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Posted with permission.

DOI

doi:10.1016/j.diin.2012.05.007

Publisher Citation

Al Mutawa, N., Baggili, I., & Marrington, A. (2012). Forensic analysis of social networking applications on mobile devices. Digital Investigation, 9, S24-S33

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