Sundar Krishnan, Bing Zhou & Min Kyung An

Smartphone Forensic Challenges

Sundar Krishnan [email protected]

Department of Computer Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, USA

Bing Zhou [email protected]

Department of Computer Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, USA

Min Kyung An [email protected]

Department of Computer Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, USA

Abstract

Globally, the extensive use of smartphone devices has led to an increase in storage and
transmission of enormous volumes of data that could be potentially be used as digital evidence
in a forensic investigation. Digital evidence can sometimes be difficult to extract from these
devices given the various versions and models of smartphone devices in the market. Forensic
analysis of smartphones to extract digital evidence can be carried out in many ways, however,
prior knowledge of smartphone forensic tools is paramount to a successful forensic investigation.
In this paper, the authors outline challenges, limitations and reliability issues faced when using
smartphone device forensic tools and accompanied forensic techniques. The main objective of
this paper is intended to be consciousness-raising than suggesting best practices to these
forensic work challenges.

Keywords: Smartphone Forensics, Digital Forensics, Mobile Forensics, Mobile Security.

1. INTRODUCTION
Since the debut of the original iPhone in 2007, the evolution of smartphone features has been
on a predictable trajectory with increasing processing speed, user friendliness, security, faster
connectivity and a plethora of apps. With their increasing functionality and ever-growing data
storage, smartphones have become pocket size computers. With advances in technology,
device manufactures continue to add more features like privacy controls and bendable screens
leading to new device models being released each week. Password protection and default
device encryption are now the norm for many of these devices making it a struggle for law
enforcement to find accurate ways for data extraction and analysis.

Device vendors and features of operating systems can vary widely, particularly with Android
devices. The apps that they support also change keeping up with technology advancements.
According to a recent IDC Research survey [1], the top five smartphone vendors by market
share by the end of Q4 2018 were Samsung (18.7%), Apple (18.2%), Huawei (16.1%), Oppo
(7.8%) and Xiaomi (7.6%). The same survey finds "other" device vendors making up 31.6% of
the 2018 smartphone market. Devices from the "other" vendors often are the challenge when it
comes to smartphone forensics as forensic product vendors often focus tuning their product
compatibility with the high-use device models. With smartphones replacing conventional mobile
phones and traditional home computer tasks, their use has been of forensic interest especially
when part of the digital evidence of a crime or litigation.

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Smartphone forensics covers the process of triage, extraction, recovery and analyzing data from
the devices or smartphones. Commonly used smartphone forensic tools are Encase Mobile
Investigator [2], Cellebrite [3], Magnet ACQUIRE [4], Paraben E3-DS [5] and Salvationdata SPF
[6], etc. Smartphones are often targets of security attacks given their support for financial
transactions and the residual private data that they may contain. For a long time, cheap pre-
paid/post-paid (burner) smartphones have been a problem for law enforcement. Forensic
support for such devices can be a challenge as forensic product vendors are often swamped
with supporting various models in the market or just wait for a business/legal case to evolve
around these devices. Due to these factors, most forensic product vendors offer a catalog of
devices that are supported fully or partially. While forensic tools often aid investigators in digital
forensic investigations, an unending challenge is for them to be compatible with various in the
market. When working with these forensic tools, investigators can experience various challenges
related to skill levels, forensic tool reliability and device-tool compatibility with the smartphone
(forensic evidence). Targeting and carefully choosing automated solutions for novice
investigators can improve the efficiency, speed and quality of investigations. In this paper, the
authors discuss existing forensic smartphone acquisition methods and outline challenges with
the implementation of smartphone forensic tools while identifying key areas of improvements.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 covers related works. Section 3 dives
into smartphone forensics, file systems and forensic evidence management. Section 4 outlines
various challenges and limitations. Section 5 provides a discussion on ways of improving overall
smartphone forensics process. Lastly, Section 6 concludes with remarks.

2. RELATED WORK
Digital forensic tools continue to improve in technology and has also embraced Artificial
Intelligence. Most forensic tools comprise of automation, analysis and reporting features. Mobile
traffic continues to skyrocket across the world. According to a study in 2017, Americans used
15.7 trillion megabytes (MBs) of smartphone data in 2017, nearly quadrupling since 2014 and
representing 40 times the volume of traffic in 2010 [7].

Henry et al. [8] conducted a survey of forensic examiners working in both private industry and
government. Almost half (47%) of government personnel reported that smartphone devices are
involved in more than 10% of their cases. Mobile forensic tools have become more user friendly
over time and mask the complexities in automation by offering a push-button approach. Kovar
[11] highlighted the value of push-button forensics, and discusses three main reasons for the
acceptance of increased automation; non-expert market, speed-related financial interest from
consumers and the growing volume of digital evidence resulting in case backlogs.

Given the various apps on a smartphone that individually connect to the cloud for data storage,
Krishnan et al. [10] point to the legal challenges in accessing this data and the cloud provider’s
role. With cloud storage getting cheaper, analyzing large volumes of cloud data from a
smartphone needs automation and machine learning. James and Gladyshev [12] highlight the
challenges in forensic automation. In a survey done in 2016 by Harichandran et al. [9] on
tools/technology needing improvement, North Americans were more focused on mobile
forensics while the Europeans were most concerned with cloud forensics. This could be due to
the new privacy laws like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced in 2016 and
their greater degree of severity than that of the United States.

Meanwhile Irons et al. [13] studied how to train competent digital investigators differentiate
between practice and theory as well as skills and knowledge claiming that each area calls for
development to ensure competency. Umale et al. [14] claimed that although forensics toolkits
exist for the forensic investigator, the bulk of the tools do not offer full functionality for multiple
devices. The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Scientific Group on
Digital Evidence (SWGDE) provide an in-depth look at mobile forensics process, outlining the
benefits and the challenges these devices present to Law enforcement [15], [16]. With ever

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increasing makes and models of smartphones being rolled out each day, smartphone forensic
tool vendors are ever keen on catering to these devices. Core forensic skills, such as data
carving, Operating System knowledge and custom programs coupled with analytical thinking will
continue to be necessary. Forensic practitioners need to know how to use forensic tools, but this
is only complementary to a thorough understanding of the forensic process, operating systems,
device applications and investigative skills.

There is a large body of literature that focuses on smartphone file system analysis, forensic
methodology and techniques. A few studies have focused on the challenges faced by forensic
practitioners, but these studies mostly covered smartphone forensic challenges in part coupled
with surveys, security, etc. While the aforementioned works make important contributions, they
do not undertake a fine-grained collection of challenges faced when using forensic tools. A
literature gap was noticed in outlining these challenges faced during smartphone forensics
coupled with forensic tool limitations. This paper overcomes the shortcomings.

3. MOBILE FORENSICS
The growth of mobile security and privacy features and their layers often work opposite to the
ease of doing forensics. Some security features are activated by default by the Operating
System (OS) and protects the user in the background, while others are obvious and seek user
attention. For instance, with every operating system upgrade, Apple’s iOS and Android OS seem
to add another layer of security enhancement. For Apple devices, it started in 2013 with the
introduction of Touch ID, a fingerprint sensor built into the iPhone 5S, and continued in iOS 8
with stronger encryption. Similarly, Android OS is also packed with powerful and practical
security features starting with Android version 5.0 supporting encryption. The healthy completion
between the two platforms have led to a myriad of security features that tend to increase the
forensic challenges during device acquisitions.

Forensic data extracted from these devices can provide investigators and attorneys with the
information they need to crack a case. As mobile devices become smaller and powerful, people
sometimes carry their devices everywhere they go which means they can tell a story about who
the user is communicating with, what they are communicating about, and where the user has
been. The device make, country of origin, carrier, model and OS version are key to ascertain the
security features that accompany the device. Table 1 lists the few security and filesystem
features that can be of consideration for a forensic analyst. Sometimes, certain OS features with
the same device make and model can vary based on the country that it was sold.

Mobile forensics is a branch of digital forensics that relates to methods of evidence extraction
from the mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, wearables, PDAs, GPS units, etc. Mobile
forensic tools acquire data from these devices and provide analysis. Smartphone devices
present many challenges from a forensic perspective due to the ever-changing device models
and apps being developed each day. It is extremely difficult to develop a single solution to cover
all makes and models of devices. In this section, we describe various forensic processes and the
file systems involved.

3.1 File System Overview

The Android operating system is a Linux-based operating system with a single root partition.
Android devices feature a Linux file system structure with six main partitions on a device: boot,
system, recovery, data, cache, and misc. Without root access, Android users only have access
to the data partition which appears when connecting the device to a PC or browsing via a file
manager app on the device. The microSD card, if applicable, will also appear mounted under
this user accessible data partition. All drives and partitions are displayed as directories a tree like
structure [17].

The iOS operating system is geared toward apps running on their own. Users of iOS devices do
not have direct access to the file system and apps are generally prohibited from accessing or

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creating files outside its container directories [21]. Most of the file-related interfaces in iOS are
designed with concurrency in mind. As of iOS 10.3 (March 2017), Apple File System (APFS) is
now the file system being used on Apple devices. Before iOS 10.3, HFS+ had been used.

TABLE 1: Few Smartphone Security and File-system Highlights [18], [19], [20].
Android iOS
System Security  Linux kernel security features  Secure boot chain
System Partition and Safe Mode  Secure enclave
Biometric authentication  Touch ID
 Fingerprint  FaceID
 Device Administration APIs  Activation lock
 Facial recognition scan  Strong passwords
 Verified boot (version 6.0  Remote Wipe
onwards)
 System image signing
 Strong passwords
 Remote Wipe
Encryption and data  Filesystem Encryption  Encryption by default
protection  Keychain  Two-step verification
 Cryptographic APIs  Hardware security features
 Security-Enhanced Linux  File data protection
(SELinux) Limited root usage  Passcodes
 Full-disk encryption (Android 5.0  Data protection classes
and above)  Keychain data protection
 Full filesystem encryption at kernel (Keybags)
level (Android 3.0 and later)  Per file encryption
 File-based encryption (Android 7.0  Keys in separate HW module
and later) Erasure of data after 10 failed
passcode attempts
App Security  The Application Sandbox  App code signing
 Backdoor checks  Runtime process security
 Filesystem permissions  App groups
 Data protection in Apps
 Secure notes
 HealthKit
 ReplayKit
 SecureElement
 iCloud Keychain
 AppPay
Network Security TLS, VPN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi TLS, VPN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,
Password Sharing AirDrop, Wi-Fi Password Sharing

Access Rooting, Recovery/Flashboot Jailbreak, Boot exploit in old devices

and application exploit in newer

Secondary Storage Files on SD Card/cloud iTunes backup

File System (YAFFS), EXT4, FAT HFSX

Files SQLite, XML SQLite, XML, Propriety List of ASCII
or Binary

3.2 Mobile Forensic Evidence

Modern mobile devices like smartphones contain an abundance of information that could
potentially be of evidentiary value. Much of this information is increasingly volatile and thus live
forensics is often needed before working in isolation using traditional computer forensic
approaches. Further forensic evidence can be gathered over the network in certain cases

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depending on the operating condition of the device. Few examples of forensically interesting
data during an on a smartphone device are listed below [22].

1. Incoming, outgoing, missed call history - Call detail records (“CDRs”)

2. Phonebook or contact lists
3. SMS text, application based, and multimedia messaging content
4. Pictures, videos, and audio files and sometimes voicemail messages
5. Internet browsing history, content, cookies, search history, analytics information
6. To-do lists, notes, calendar entries, ringtones, memos (notes)
7. Documents, spreadsheets, presentation files and other user-created data
8. Passwords, passcodes, swipe codes, user account credentials
9. Historical geolocation data, cell phone tower related location data, Wi-Fi connection
information
10. User dictionary content
11. Data from various installed apps
12. System files, usage logs, error messages
13. Deleted data from all the above

In some cases, if proper authentication details are available, data from the cloud storage of apps
can also be recovered. Other methodologies that can be used to find the geographical location
of the device or its user are listed below [23].

1. GPS: The Global Positioning System (GPS) of satellites are used to pinpoint the location
of a smartphone. [Note that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E911
regulations require wireless carriers to be able to track 911 callers.]
2. Triangulation: Three cell phone towers in close proximity can be used to approximate
the location of the smartphone.
3. Wi-Fi Networks: Even with the GPS turned off, a smartphone can record Wi-Fi network
connections.
4. Ping: Ping by service provider for hardware associated with a smartphone number
5. Rogue tower (Stingray): Rouge devices that impersonate cell towers can trick
smartphones into thinking they are the service provider.

Since smartphone usage has become ubiquitous in our daily life and at our workplaces, they
play a critical role in the theft of intellectual property and other crimes. While computer forensics
has almost become commonplace, smartphone forensics is still evolving and presents several
challenges for digital forensic examiners.

3.3 Forensic Evidence Management

Smartphone devices once part of the evidence pile must be treated as an active digital device.
Any change in power state or accidental transmission can cause evidence contamination. Below
are few steps to manage smartphone device evidence [15], [24].

1. Evidence Box and Seizure: Digital forensics operates on the principles that evidence
should always be adequately preserved, processed, documented and admissible in a
court of law. Digital devices may contain latent, trace, or biological evidence. The
forensic investigator should thoroughly document and preserve this potential evidence
for processing before the digital evidence imaging is undertaken.

2. Phone Jammers and Faraday Bag: Smartphone devices are often seized switched on.
Background apps are sometimes activated, and this could alter the state of the device.
Active, apps can invoke services and can start to transmit data over the network. Thus,
the best way to store and transport these devices is to attempt to keep them in a
Faraday bag. A phone jammer is also recommended to be kept beside this evidence.

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3. Device State: Smartphone devices should be charged, turned on and set to airplane
mode to avoid a shutdown, which would inevitably alter file state. Disabling Wi-Fi and
Hotspots is also recommended. If possible, the SIM card may be removed and
preserved.

3.4 Data Acquisition Process and Approach

In NIST's Special Publication 800-101 Revision 1, Rick Ayers et al. [15] proposed a framework
as in Figure 1 for forensic examiners to compare forensic extraction methods used by different
tools to acquire data. A forensic examiner can easily classify and compare extraction methods
thereby understanding the limitations of tools at each layer.

3.4.1 Manual Extraction

The Manual Extraction method involves viewing and recording the data content stored on a
smartphone device. This method cannot recover deleted information but can provide a record of
various screens and the user interface. This is a time-consuming process and depends on the
device working condition.

FIGURE 1: Mobile Tools Classification System [15].

3.4.2 Logical Extraction

The Logical Extraction is possible when a connectivity between a smartphone device and a
forensics workstation is achieved, where the connectivity can be made with a wired/wireless
USB. Logical extraction tools send a series of commands over the established communication
interface from the computer to the smartphone device. The smartphone device data collected is
sent back to the workstation for further examination. The Logical extraction is often quick and
results in collection of call history, SMS, photos, music etc. data. For Android 5.0+ devices, the
user needs to trust the forensic workstation by accepting a RSA key.

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a versatile command-line tool that lets the investigator
communicate with a Android smartphone device. It is a client-server program that includes the
client, a background process daemon and a server. ADB is included in the Android SDK
Platform-Tools package. Android’s ADB is free to use and can be downloaded along with the
SDK Manager. ADB usually communicates with the device over USB but can also use Wi-Fi
after some initial setup over the USB. Using ADB, all visible files can be obtained through the file
system, which does not include deleted files or hidden partitions.

3.4.3 Physical Extraction

The Physical Extraction methods like Hex Dumping, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), Chip-Off
and Micro Read allow for a more direct access to the raw information stored on the smartphone
device flash memory.

The Hex Dumping technique is commonly used to upload a modified boot loader into a protected
area of memory (e.g., RAM) on a smartphone device using a flasher box [15]. A series of

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commands is sent from the flasher box to the smartphone device to place it in a diagnostic
mode. Once in diagnostic mode, the flasher box captures all (or sections) of the device’s flash
memory and sends it to the forensic workstation.

JTAG is used when forensic extractions cannot acquire a physical image or when a device is
logically damaged or “bricked” [15]. Many device manufacturers support the JTAG standard.
Forensic examiners can communicate with a JTAG-compliant component of a smartphone
device by utilizing special purpose standalone programmer devices to probe defined JTAG test
points. JTAG extractions are more advanced and invasive than HEX Dumping as the examiner
must dismantle some (or most) of a smartphone device to obtain access to establish the wiring
connections.

The Hex Dumping and JTAG extraction methods [15] require a connectivity between a
smartphone device and a forensic workstation. These methods allow a more direct access to the
raw information stored in smartphone device’s flash memory. However, the ability of a given tool
to parse and decode the captured data can be challenging. Sometimes, all data contained within
a given flash memory chip may not be acquired as well.

The Chip-off Forensics involves physically removing the flash memory chip from the smartphone
device and preparing it using balling techniques allowing for a chip reader to acquire the raw
data residing on the chip [15]. This method provides examiners with the ability to create a binary
image of the removed chip. While the chip reader is a required device for the extraction, a chip
adapter may also be required depending on chip specifications. Unlike JTAG, the Chip-off is a
destructive process, and the smartphone device may no longer function as before. Many
examiners start with a non-destructive technique such as Logical, JTAG and HEX-dumping
before opting for a Chip-off.

The Micro Read process records the physical observation of the gates on a NAND or NOR chip
with the use of an electron microscope [15]. Skilled technical expertise coupled with almost no
commercially available tools make such extractions a rarity. It is generally accepted that the
Micro-Read technique is most forensically sound and most technical, while the manual
extraction technique is the simplest. For a successful acquisition at this level, technical experts,
necessary equipment, time and in-depth knowledge of proprietary information is required. Also,
there are no known U.S. Law Enforcement agencies performing acquisitions at this level.

3.4.4 Smartphone Forensic Tool Classification and Complexity

There are many tools and techniques available in smartphone forensics thereby making the
selection criteria dependent on the investigative requirement, type of device and its associated
media. Smartphone forensic tools are usually categorized by vendors as separate products in
their portfolio. This is probably due to targeted support for the smartphone forensics user
community who often branched out from traditional computer forensics.

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FIGURE 2: Mobile Tools Classification System [15].

In Figure 2, a general comparison of tool characteristics is shown. During investigations, it is

also important for forensic analysts to consider different aspects beyond tools, such as
methodologies, timelines, phases of the process and the complications inherent therein. For
example, evidence acquisition or extraction process in an Android smartphone device require
enabling of the "USB debugging" option on the device. If the terminal has any screen lock option
configured, it is necessary to circumvent it by turning-on the "Stay awake" option disabling of any
time-out screen lock option.

4. SMARTPHONE FORENSIC CHALLENGES AND TOOL LIMITATIONS

In this section, challenges for beginner or skilled smartphone forensic analysts are described
during their use of smartphone forensic tools.

4.1 To Root or Not?

Out of security concerns, by default, the operating system in smartphones provide lower
privileges for users, and thus gaining root access on a smartphone is akin to user privilege
elevation. The process to privilege elevation is known as rooting of a device or jailbreaking. This
allows users to attain administrative privileges (known as root access) on their smartphones and
access operating system processes that are otherwise restricted to normal users. Rooting a
smartphone device can void its manufacturer’s warranty and is a security risk as the user then
operates the device with full administrative level privileges. Nonetheless, tech savvy smartphone
users continuously develop rooting methods, which vary depending on device.

A forensic examiner can expect to encounter such rooted phones as a part of evidence. Also, as
rooting Android smartphone devices has become a common phenomenon because
manufacturers and Android OS do not provide root access to device owners by default, forensic
examiner may need to root devices to acquire data for forensic examination. However, common
users seldom root their smartphone device unless an application from the app store needs such
an access on their device for its functioning. Usually the device manufacturer and Android do not
provide root access to the device owner by default. Meanwhile, Abalenkovs et al. [20] that a bit
by bit extraction of data from iOS smartphone devices has become a moving target due to
increasingly stronger protection mechanisms.

For the above reasons and the diverseness of makes and models of smartphone devices,
forensic tools can be more challenging when rooting is required. The forensic examiner should
decide on root level access and obtain necessary approvals before rooting the device. Once root
access is granted, the forensic examiner is able to perform extensive data recovery and file
carving which uncovers deleted evidence stored on the device (evidence).

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Note that before forensic examiners root devices, risks of the rooting process must be
ascertained to decide whether to accept a specific risk or take action to prevent or minimize it.
In the following, the examples of risks to evaluate are listed:

1. Intrusiveness of the rooting process on device (evidence).

2. Use of commercially available root exploits that exploit vulnerabilities or unproven
solutions off the Internet.
3. Evidence and data integrity change due to privilege escalation.
4. Availability of reliable root exploits for the particular smartphone.
5. Added privacy concerns due to the increased data visibility with root access.
6. Periodic vendor patching that can plug exploits used for rooting.
7. Flasher boxes use for dead exploits (mostly due to carrier locking).

4.2 Device Dependency, Limitations and Hardware Dynamics

Smartphone hardware manufacturers keep releasing new models almost monthly upgrading
their hardware specifications regularly. These devices also seem to have a lesser life span with
newer operating systems released annually. Users replace lost devices more regularly than a
laptop or home computer. This also calls for special data, drivers and power cables for different
makes and models of hardware. Due to such rapidly changing smartphone device environment,
forensic tool vendors seldom guarantee that their tools operate on any type of makes and
models of smartphones, and thus the vendors provide a list of smartphone devices that are
compatible with their forensic products. Meanwhile, the forensic analyst should be aware that a
forensic tool in use can fail or only be partially successful during device acquisitions.

4.3 Logical or Physical Acquisition

There are two main data acquisition types in smartphone forensics, namely – logical and
physical. The logical acquisition involves leveraging APIs to copy all available files that are not
deleted from the smartphone device’s file system into a forensic case. The retrieved data is
active user content (user accessible) from the memory storage like contacts, call logs, images,
videos and music. Partial app data such as configuration files, app SQLite files etc. can also be
obtained. Meanwhile, the physical acquisition process involves a bit-by-bit memory dump of an
image of the smartphone device including deleted data. The physical acquisition dump contains
both allocated and unallocated space. Note that such physically acquired data is in its raw
format and needs additional parsing depending on the file systems.

When it comes to selecting the most suitable method, many aspects are considered: the level of
thoroughness required, the available time for carrying out the process and what type of
information it is necessary to obtain such as volatile information, previously deleted data,
information from third party applications, etc. Figure 3 shows a forensic process flow useful to
follow when making such a decision. It considers other aspects as well such as whether a USB
debugging is activated, whether a terminal is locked with an access granted, etc.

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FIGURE 3: A General Smartphone Forensics Process Workflow.

4.4 Time Intensive

Smartphone forensics has become time intensive due to growing storage on smartphone
devices which makes acquisition process hours to complete. Also, given the uncertainty of the
forensic tool used during the acquisition process and rooting challenges, time should be suitably
factored. Opening vendor communication and support channels for each case is thus suggested
in case of unforeseen hurdles.

4.5 Forensic Tool Training

Training forensic analysts is essential so that they can have opportunities to develop requisite
skills. Especially, product agnostic trainings on core smartphone forensic concepts, evidence
handling and reporting are considered to be most essential. During a process of a forensic
investigation, an analyst must bear in mind first and foremost the phases of acquisition and
analysis of an evidence. It is necessary to understand a wide range of methods, techniques and

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tools as well as the criteria necessary for being able to evaluate the suitability of using one tool
versus another.

4.6 Tool Reliability

It is not always easy for forensics investigators to select right tools because of complexity and
diverseness of both smartphone devices and forensics tools, and the volatile nature of digital
evidence and legal threshold of admissibility.

Saleem et al. [26] performed a comparative evaluation of Margin of Error and Confidence
Interval (CI) against two smartphone devices, Samsung HTC (Desire 300) and Galaxy (GT-
S5300) using five trial versions of various smartphone forensic tools. In their conclusion, tools
fared with mixed results highlighting the fact that selection of the appropriate tool is required per
investigation. Meanwhile, Padmanabhan et al. [27] analyzed few smartphone forensic tools for
reliability and accuracy. Their experimental results show that XRY 5.0 performed better than
UFED Physical Pro1.1.3.8 in terms of reliability and accuracy. Osho et al. [28] claimed that
finding a forensic tool or toolkit that is virtually applicable across all smartphone device platforms
and operating systems is currently infeasible. Computer Forensics Tool Testing program (CFTT)
[29] often reports on smartphone device acquisition tools (organized by publication date) and
can be a useful source on tool reliability.

As the market floods with various device models, forensic product vendors have been trying their
best to keep up device compatibility. Also, as the chances of rooting the smartphone device via
forensic tools are getting more difficult, reliability of such tools for evidence acquisition and
analysis has become more essential.

4.7 Vendor Support

Vendor support for smartphone forensic tools can vary overtime. Few vendors are niche players
in the market and only work with federal and state buyers thus limiting their support to very
specific clients. Vendor support channels should be pre-established before working on an
evidence which could impact wait times. Vendor support staff should be able to quickly
turnaround and fulfil the requirement on an identical device similar to the evidence in question.
Usually vendors have dedicated R&D teams that issue new features and releases to meet
customer needs depending on the terms service contract. However, not all vendors have a 24/7
service desk support and this service may need to be purchased separately. Penalties for
turnaround time and failures can be addressed on service contracts.

4.8 Non-Standardization in Reporting

Since there is no standardization adopted by vendors on reporting structure and the odds of
successful forensic acquisition on various tools, forensic analysts are advised to be prepared for
reports in different formats from the tools.

4.9 Chip-off and JTAG Techniques

Nowadays, very few forensic tools use chip-off and JTAG techniques. This forensic method is of
high risk of damage to the memory chips of smartphone devices. The chip-off techniques
therefore should be used by experience personnel (investigators). This technique is based on
Nand or eMMC memory chip extraction from the smartphone device requiring special hardware
and adapter kits that are easily available though. One of the widely used tools for chip-off dumps
analysis is UFED Physical Analyzer [30]. Forensic examiners also use other tools such as UP-
828 [31], Z3x Easy Jtag [32], eMMC Pro Tool [33], Riff Box [33], etc., to read data directly from
chip using adapters such as MOORC E-Mate Pro eMMC Tool. These techniques are the most
difficult way to extract data apart from Micro Read.

JTAG forensics is another method of data acquisition, which utilizes Test Access Ports (TAPs)
on a smartphone device instructing the smartphone processor to transfer the raw data stored on
connected memory chips. When commercial forensic extraction options cannot acquire a

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physical image or a device is logically damaged or “bricked”, the advanced method, jtagging,
can extract a full physical image from devices.

4.10 Timestamps
Sometimes, timestamps such as file “creation time” reported by what tools are created based on
acquisition timestamp.

FIGURE 4: Incorrect Timestamps Reported from Forensic Tools.

The Figure 4 shows an example of possible ambiguity in reported timestamps. Because of such
ambiguity, few time formats conversions can result in creating incorrect data such as "last
Modification time" reported as 12/31/1979 and "last access time" of files reported as 7/28/2067.
Therefore, it would be helpful for forensic analysts to cross-verify metadata before reporting on
findings involving timestamps.

4.11 Tool Standardization

There is still a lack of global standardization on forensic processes in industry. With the growing
smartphone markets, forensics product vendors have started focusing on each country’s
forensic needs and adapting their products towards local geographical markets. Currently, the
“Smartphone Tool Specifications Standard” [32] developed by NIST is the only framework that
lists requirements to be met by all forensic acquisition tools. Meanwhile, the Computer Forensic
Tool Testing (CFTT) [29] project at NIST helps in establishing a methodology for testing
computer forensic software tools by development of general tool specifications, test procedures,
test criteria, test sets, and test hardware. NIST guidelines of smartphone forensics help
organizations evolve appropriate policies and procedures to deal with these devices and to
prepare forensic specialists to conduct forensically sound examinations [15]. The evaluation
results from CFTT provide the information necessary for forensic product vendors to improve
their forensic tools, for users to make informed choices about acquiring and using computer
forensics tools, and for interested parties to understand the tools capabilities.

4.12 Overcoming Device Protections

Many paid forensic tools include mechanisms to bypass device access protections. Although
this is not always guaranteed by such tools, if the process is going to be carried out manually on
a smartphone device, one or more of the following actions should be performed [34].

1. If the device is rooted, remove the gesture.key or password.key file in accordance with
the mode of protection established.
2. Install a personalized recovery tool such as ClockWorkMod or Team Win Recovery
Project (TWRP) and then deactivate device access locking.
3. Using brute force to crack the device. (On a 4-digit pin, it has been demonstrated the pin
can be cracked in a maximum period of 16 hours.)
4. Do a “Smudge Attack” [35], which involves obtaining the locking pattern from fingerprints
on the device’s screen by using different-angled photographs.

4.13 Data Volatility

Smartphone forensics yields evidence mostly obtained via non-volatile physical memory dump
and file system analysis. Volatile memory (often referred to as RAM memory) stores data
created by installed apps that can be crucial for an investigation. Non-volatile memory known as
flash or ROM memory stores data like phone contacts, pictures, emails, etc. which remains
saved even when the device is powered off. In iOS smartphone devices, app-data such as
usernames, passwords, encryption keys are erased as the device memory is full or when the
device is re-booted. Apple encrypts this volatile user data using 256-bit encryption making it

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Sundar Krishnan, Bing Zhou & Min Kyung An

difficult for physical acquisition or when the device is powered off. Jalibreaking an iOS
smartphone involves restarting of the device thereby erasing the volatile memory.

4.14 Forensic Soundness

Forensically sound data extraction on a smartphone is a continuous challenge due to evolving
technology. Boot loaders are considered the most forensically sound physical extraction method
[35]. Temporary rooting is not as forensically sound as a boot loader because it does load the
device’s operating system, which may be logged within the device.

While forensic acquisition tools are executed on smartphone devices, they must be kept
powered on throughout the process due to the volatile nature of data. These tools load client
APIs to a device to be executed or install small boot-loader code into the device's RAM during
boot. Thus, there will be no concept of a write blocker during acquisition that could potentially
cause questioning of evidence integrity by the opposing counsel. However, during manual
acquisition methods using advanced dd command (application), a write blocker is advised during
file transfers.

4.15 Encryption
Personal smartphone devices are encrypted by default when sold with various methods such as
password lock, bio-metric authentication, and use of encrypted memory cards thereby providing
a user with additional means to protect data. Such data encryption capabilities on on-board or
removable memory storage are offered as a standard feature in many smartphone devices or
available through add-on applications. With the advanced encryptions, cracking passwords to
unlock a device has been getting more difficult for all forensic tools. Also, data storage on
devices have resulted in longer decryption time. Even though most mainstream forensic tools
provide a password bypass and password recovery mechanism, decryption is still a challenge to
these tools. Thus, Flasher box, JTAG, or chip-off extraction methods have become necessary
when devices are locked by their service providers [36]. Meanwhile, many smartphone vendors
and network carriers also have introduced advancements in anti-theft features such as
“automatic device wipe” after a set of unsuccessful attempts which interfere with a legitimate
forensic investigation.

4.16 Network Protocols

There are a number of network communication protocols used between the smartphone device
and cell towers or wireless access points. Network protocols also govern communication
between smartphone devices and other smart devices. While smartphones and related
technology evolved in the past decades, multiple protocols has been introduced while others
have retired. Few communication protocols [37], [38] supported by smartphones over the years
are ANSI-41, GSM Mobile Application Part (MAP), Push Access Protocol (PAP), Push Over the
Air (OTA), Sub‐network Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP), Base Station System
GPRS Protocol (BSSGP), GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP), Mobile IP, Mobile Shell (mosh),
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), etc. These protocols coupled with multiplexing can easily
overwhelm forensic analysts. Even though forensic analysts are not expected to be aware of
each and every such protocol, they still should have a general understanding of the
communication protocols in play for specific smartphone (evidence) device. A general list of
supported network communication protocols can be ascertained from the device manuals.

5. IMPROVING SMARTPHONE FORENSICS PROCESS

Overcoming smartphone forensic challenges can help improve the overall forensic process and
yield results that can be well accepted by the courts or investigative agencies. Below are a few
ways discussed to overcome smartphone forensic challenges.

5.1 Time Management

Digital forensic investigations irrespective of the type of evidence can take time especially when
encryption, cloud and privacy constraints are involved. Each investigative case is unique and

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Sundar Krishnan, Bing Zhou & Min Kyung An

time spent can be a variable. The investigator’s ability to link a suspect as the one who clicked
the photos on the smartphone can take time and patience. Similarly, accessing and processing
data from third-party servers or the cloud could take a lot of paperwork and coordination with
external teams. Planning of such investigations and clear identification of roles and
responsibilities of the team are highly recommended. Special handling may be required for some
situations especially when dealing with evidence and suspect across geographical borders and
jurisdictions. Thus, the forensic investigators should set realistic timelines and factor additional
time for unknown tasks when updating management or reporting to authorities.

5.2 Cost Management

Cost of a smartphone forensic investigation can easily spiral when left unchecked. The more
upfront information is known about the scope of work, the tighter the cost estimate can be.
Failure to properly scope the work can lead to both time and cost overruns. There are many
factors [39] that affect the cost of smartphone forensics like the type of investigation required,
parties involved, forensic tools required, skills required, manpower needed, encryption levels,
deadlines, the volume of data to investigate, smartphone age in the market, Operating Systems
etc. Independent third-parties can prove expensive if State labs do not have the necessary
expertise or tools. This was evident during the FBI’s iPhone investigations concerning the
massacre in San Bernardino, California [40], [41] during which assistance of private entities was
requested to overcome the unlock attempt limit of the iPhone device. It cost the FBI roughly
$900,000 to hack the locked iPhone. Smartphone forensic investigations conducted by State
labs are usually constrained by manpower and budgets making timely cost estimates crucial
when management approvals are necessary.

5.3 Training and Skills Management

A smartphone forensics investigator is a specially trained professional who works with law
enforcement agencies, as well as private firms, to retrieve information from smartphones and
associated data storage devices. Adequate training of these investigators can largely overcome
many forensic challenges specified thus far. Training is a continuous activity and adequate
funding should be set aside for keeping-up with the forensic tools and smartphones in the
market. Attending conferences across the country and globe and interacting with other
professionals can advance their knowledge base. The willingness to learn is a prerequisite in
this field.

5.4 Process Capability, Reliability and Maturity

Forensic investigation process capability is the ability to do it right without any errors, while
reliability is a measure of how capable the forensic investigative process is to deliver a specified
outcome over many attempts. By applying a look down method, process reliability can help
identify problems, allow significant cost reduction opportunities and allow for improvements. By
applying process measurement and improvement steps, factors like process interruption causes,
costs and process specific improvements can be targeted. The forensic laboratories or
organization(s) conducting forensic work, may have to sacrifice some investigative process
capability to improve the reliability of the process as a possible trade-off. Statistical tools may
also be used to streamline the various investigative process involved thereby highlighting
process areas where improvements are needed. Similarly, the use of a process capability
maturity model can enable labs and organizations to evaluate the maturity of their digital
forensics capabilities and identify roadmaps for improving by following industry best practices or
regulatory requirements [43]. Also, a generic capability maturity models for process
management can be used to tailor a more specific derived model for the laboratory or
organization conducting digital forensic investigations.

5.5 Accreditation of Forensic Laboratory

Forensic investigators/examiners should provide acceptable, accurate, and complete answers to
address concerns or questions regarding the admissibility of their testimony into legal
proceedings. Depending upon the jurisdiction of the case, their testimony may also have to meet
the requirements of Frye1 [44] or Daubert2 [45] standards. Laboratories or organizations

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Sundar Krishnan, Bing Zhou & Min Kyung An

conducting routine digital forensics can benefit from accreditation against standards set by The
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB)
[46], ISO/IEC 17020:2012 [47] or ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standards [48]. Through accreditation, a
digital forensic laboratory demonstrates that its management, operations, personnel,
procedures, equipment, and security, etc. meet recommendations outlined on international
standards. A forensic laboratory accreditation can provide a standard or framework to ensure
confidence in the results obtained from the forensic processes of digital evidence investigation.
Similarly, adoption of a Quality Management System (QMS) to support training programs,
periodic competency checks of examiners, policy documentation, use of standards, controls and
recommended best-practices can help overcome work quality concerns while improving
productivity.

6. CONCLUSION
In this paper, we studied various challenges faced by a forensic investigator when dealing with
smartphone forensics and provided a comparative overview of these challenges. While
smartphones provide a ton of valuable information, deterrents to their successful forensics can
be a mix of their evolving technology, stronger security features, forensic tool limitations,
communication protocols, customization by multiple device carriers, and the sheer number of
models. Thus, an important consideration for the forensic investigators is to be fully aware of
what data can and should be extracted from the devices in question, risks in the extraction
process, and how much quality data can be retrieved and processed by the specific forensic tool
at hand given the tool limitations. Future research will need to be undertaken to document
workflows on tool options for an investigator when encountering these challenges. Development
of a forensic tool picker software application would be helpful that could direct the investigator on
forensic tool compatibility based upon smartphone device (evidence) specifications and
supported devices from forensic tool vendor.

7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the forensics lab at the Cyber Forensics Intelligence Center,
Sam Houston State University, for providing necessary research facilities and access to digital
forensic tools.

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