Mobile Forensics - The File Format Handbook: Common File Formats and File Systems Used in Mobile Devices

This open-access book provides a summary of knowledge about various file systems and file formats commonly used in mobile devices. It includes information about popular file systems like APFS, Ext4, F2FS, and QNX6, as well as file formats like SQLite, Property Lists, Java Serialization, Realm, and Protocol Buffers. The book is intended to serve as a reference guide for digital forensic practitioners and students interested in the field of digital forensics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 269 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive open-access book provides a thorough overview of various file systems and file formats commonly utilized in mobile devices. In addition to offering a fundamental description of these formats, it also includes valuable insights into the potential forensic significance of potential artifacts, along with an outline of tools that can decode the relevant data.

The book is meticulously organized into two distinct sections:

Part I explores several diverse file systems that are widely employed in mobile devices.

APFS stands as the file system utilized in modern Apple devices, encompassing a wide range of products such as iPhones, iPads, and even Apple Computers, including the MacBook series.

Ext4 is a prevalent file system in Android devices, succeeding the Ext2 and Ext3 file systems that were commonly used on Linux-based computers.

The Flash-Friendly File System (F2FS) is a Linux system specifically engineered for NAND Flash memory, which is commonly found in removable storage devices and mobile devices. This innovative file system was developed by Samsung Electronics in 2012.

The QNX6 file system is present in smartphones offered by Blackberry, including devices utilizing Blackberry 10, as well as modern vehicle infotainment systems that rely on QNX as their operating system.

Part II delves into five distinct file formats that are frequently used on mobile devices.

SQLite boasts an almost ubiquitous presence in mobile devices, with a vast majority of all mobile applications storing their data within these databases.

Property Lists, primarily associated with Apple devices, occupy the second position in the mobile world in terms of file format prevalence.

Java Serialization is a widely adopted technique within the Java programming language for storing the states of objects. Mobile application (app) developers frequently employ this technique to ensure the persistence of their application state.

The Realm .

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030984694
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022