Pub Date : 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302068
Jingue Lee , Jiyun Kim , Doowon Jeong
File exfiltration conducted through bypass boot environments, such as the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), poses a serious challenge to forensic investigations. Because endpoint security agents and logging mechanisms remain inactive, conventional artifacts of file access are absent. This study investigates the feasibility of using the NTFS $STANDARD_INFORMATION Accessed Time ($SI Atime) as a residual forensic indicator for detecting exfiltration events in Windows PE. Through controlled experiments, we analyze $SI Atime updates during file copy operations, examine their persistence under varying system conditions, and evaluate their evidentiary reliability over time. Our findings show that $SI Atime can reveal PE-based file access patterns in over two-thirds of cases, though reliability diminishes with prolonged use. To enhance robustness, we integrate Atime analysis with complementary artifacts, such as UEFI NVAR variables indicating abnormal boot order changes. This combined approach enables the reconstruction of exfiltration timelines even in the absence of logs or telemetry. The results highlight the potential of $SI Atime as a valuable residual artifact for detecting file exfiltration in bypass boot environments, offering investigators a methodological basis for addressing scenarios where traditional forensic sources are unavailable.
{"title":"Residual forensic indicators of file exfiltration in windows preinstallation environment","authors":"Jingue Lee , Jiyun Kim , Doowon Jeong","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302068","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302068","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>File exfiltration conducted through bypass boot environments, such as the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), poses a serious challenge to forensic investigations. Because endpoint security agents and logging mechanisms remain inactive, conventional artifacts of file access are absent. This study investigates the feasibility of using the NTFS $STANDARD_INFORMATION Accessed Time ($SI Atime) as a residual forensic indicator for detecting exfiltration events in Windows PE. Through controlled experiments, we analyze $SI Atime updates during file copy operations, examine their persistence under varying system conditions, and evaluate their evidentiary reliability over time. Our findings show that $SI Atime can reveal PE-based file access patterns in over two-thirds of cases, though reliability diminishes with prolonged use. To enhance robustness, we integrate Atime analysis with complementary artifacts, such as UEFI NVAR variables indicating abnormal boot order changes. This combined approach enables the reconstruction of exfiltration timelines even in the absence of logs or telemetry. The results highlight the potential of $SI Atime as a valuable residual artifact for detecting file exfiltration in bypass boot environments, offering investigators a methodological basis for addressing scenarios where traditional forensic sources are unavailable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 302068"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302066
Ricardo Marques , Patricio Domingues , Miguel Frade , Miguel Negrão
The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by digitization. Modern cars are transitioning to digital and are now sophisticated computers on wheels. This digital revolution is driven by the integration of various computerized systems. One of the most noticeable systems, at least for drivers and occupants, is the In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system. This system offers features such as radio, music playback and streaming, navigation, hands-free calling, and, in some cases, smartphone and internet connectivity. Data generated from user interactions with the vehicle information system can be valuable for digital forensics, providing artifacts such as call logs, contacts, GPS location history, and diagnostic data. However, acquiring and analyzing these data is challenging, as there are no universal standards for IVI systems. In this paper, we study the infotainment systems of four BMW vehicles from a digital forensic perspective. Specifically, we focus on two Computer-in-Car (CIC) BMW 3 Series systems, one from 2010 and another from 2012. We also analyze the Next Big Thing Evolution (NBT EVO) systems of two 2017’s BMWs, a 5 Series and a 7 Series. For this purpose, data from the infotainment hard disks were acquired and forensically analyzed. To overcome the lack of specific open-source tools to process these datasets, we developed two modules for the well-known Autopsy forensic software. The most relevant data recovered from the hard disks of the analyzed infotainment systems include phone call history, text messages, and linked smartphone IDs, such as Bluetooth addresses, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The results indicate that the newer NBT EVO systems have more forensically meaningful data than the older CIC ones.
在数字化的推动下,汽车行业正在经历一场重大变革。现代汽车正在向数字化过渡,现在是车轮上的精密计算机。这场数字革命是由各种计算机系统的集成驱动的。最引人注目的系统之一,至少对司机和乘客来说,是车载信息娱乐(IVI)系统。该系统提供收音机、音乐播放和流媒体、导航、免提通话等功能,在某些情况下,还可以连接智能手机和互联网。用户与车辆信息系统交互产生的数据对于数字取证很有价值,可以提供诸如呼叫记录、联系人、GPS位置历史记录和诊断数据等工件。然而,获取和分析这些数据具有挑战性,因为IVI系统没有通用标准。本文从数字取证的角度对四辆宝马汽车的信息娱乐系统进行了研究。具体来说,我们关注的是2010年和2012年推出的两款车载电脑(CIC)宝马3系系统。我们还分析了两款2017款宝马5系和7系的Next Big Thing Evolution (NBT EVO)系统。为此,从信息娱乐硬盘中获取数据并进行法医分析。为了克服缺乏特定的开源工具来处理这些数据集,我们为著名的尸检法医软件开发了两个模块。从被分析的信息娱乐系统的硬盘中恢复的最相关的数据包括通话记录、短信、连接的智能手机id,如蓝牙地址、国际移动设备识别码(IMEI)和国际移动用户识别码(IMSI)。结果表明,较新的NBT EVO系统比旧的CIC系统具有更多的法医意义数据。
{"title":"Forensic analysis of the infotainment system of BMW vehicles","authors":"Ricardo Marques , Patricio Domingues , Miguel Frade , Miguel Negrão","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302066","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302066","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by digitization. Modern cars are transitioning to digital and are now sophisticated computers on wheels. This digital revolution is driven by the integration of various computerized systems. One of the most noticeable systems, at least for drivers and occupants, is the In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system. This system offers features such as radio, music playback and streaming, navigation, hands-free calling, and, in some cases, smartphone and internet connectivity. Data generated from user interactions with the vehicle information system can be valuable for digital forensics, providing artifacts such as call logs, contacts, GPS location history, and diagnostic data. However, acquiring and analyzing these data is challenging, as there are no universal standards for IVI systems. In this paper, we study the infotainment systems of four BMW vehicles from a digital forensic perspective. Specifically, we focus on two Computer-in-Car (CIC) BMW 3 Series systems, one from 2010 and another from 2012. We also analyze the Next Big Thing Evolution (NBT EVO) systems of two 2017’s BMWs, a 5 Series and a 7 Series. For this purpose, data from the infotainment hard disks were acquired and forensically analyzed. To overcome the lack of specific open-source tools to process these datasets, we developed two modules for the well-known Autopsy forensic software. The most relevant data recovered from the hard disks of the analyzed infotainment systems include phone call history, text messages, and linked smartphone IDs, such as Bluetooth addresses, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The results indicate that the newer NBT EVO systems have more forensically meaningful data than the older CIC ones.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 302066"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302044
Klara Dološ , Tobias Reichel , Mathias Gerstner , Leo Schiller , Liron Ahmeti , Andreas Attenberger , Victor Bialek , Rudolf Hackenberg , Conrad Meyer , Michael Nicks , Dennis Röck , Mirko Ross , Gerhard Steininger , Hugues Tamatcho Sontia , Svenja Wendler
This paper outlines the essential needs for a forensic incident recorder (FIR) in autonomous vehicles, emphasizing its role in providing comprehensive data for post-incident analysis. The FIR must capture data from various vehicle systems, including onboard sensors, AI decision-making processes, internal diagnostics, V2X communications and cloud-based services, ensuring transparency and accountability. To ensure data integrity, the system must include encryption, tamper detection and redundancy. Furthermore, we introduce the concept of a forensic information system (FIS), an integrated solution for data storage, relevance determination and secure access, incorporating local and cloud-based storage. Triggers for permanent data storage and data upload to the cloud are suggested. Ultimately, the paper aims to highlight the need for comprehensive strategic and operational preparation for forensic investigations in the environment of autonomous, connected mobility.
{"title":"Forensic readiness for autonomous mobility: The forensic incident recorder and information system concept","authors":"Klara Dološ , Tobias Reichel , Mathias Gerstner , Leo Schiller , Liron Ahmeti , Andreas Attenberger , Victor Bialek , Rudolf Hackenberg , Conrad Meyer , Michael Nicks , Dennis Röck , Mirko Ross , Gerhard Steininger , Hugues Tamatcho Sontia , Svenja Wendler","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2026.302044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper outlines the essential needs for a forensic incident recorder (FIR) in autonomous vehicles, emphasizing its role in providing comprehensive data for post-incident analysis. The FIR must capture data from various vehicle systems, including onboard sensors, AI decision-making processes, internal diagnostics, V2X communications and cloud-based services, ensuring transparency and accountability. To ensure data integrity, the system must include encryption, tamper detection and redundancy. Furthermore, we introduce the concept of a forensic information system (FIS), an integrated solution for data storage, relevance determination and secure access, incorporating local and cloud-based storage. Triggers for permanent data storage and data upload to the cloud are suggested. Ultimately, the paper aims to highlight the need for comprehensive strategic and operational preparation for forensic investigations in the environment of autonomous, connected mobility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 302044"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302043
Maxim Chernyshev, Zubair Baig, Naeem Syed, Robin Doss, Malcolm Shore
The rapid advancement of large language models (LLMs) has simultaneously created opportunities and challenges for digital forensic science. This survey systematically examines the emerging intersection between generative artificial intelligence and digital forensics through our analysis of 33 peer-reviewed works. We map LLM capabilities across the established Digital Forensic Research Workshop (DFRWS) process model, identifying three strategic integration points where these technologies demonstrate measurable benefits – pattern recognition during the examination phase, evidence analysis during the analysis phase, and evidence presentation and reporting during the presentation phase. Our findings show that LLMs achieve substantial performance improvements across diverse forensic tasks, but critical challenges persist, including the fundamental tension between the probabilistic nature of LLM outputs and deterministic forensic requirements, alongside concerns regarding explainability, reproducibility, and legal admissibility. We identify significant research gaps in validation frameworks, forensic-ready architectures, and standardised evaluation protocols. The survey establishes a comprehensive research agenda spanning technical, methodological, and legal domains, emphasising the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration and human-AI collaborative approaches to preserve forensic integrity when leveraging LLM capabilities.
{"title":"Large language models in digital forensics: capabilities, challenges and future directions","authors":"Maxim Chernyshev, Zubair Baig, Naeem Syed, Robin Doss, Malcolm Shore","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid advancement of large language models (LLMs) has simultaneously created opportunities and challenges for digital forensic science. This survey systematically examines the emerging intersection between generative artificial intelligence and digital forensics through our analysis of 33 peer-reviewed works. We map LLM capabilities across the established Digital Forensic Research Workshop (DFRWS) process model, identifying three strategic integration points where these technologies demonstrate measurable benefits – pattern recognition during the examination phase, evidence analysis during the analysis phase, and evidence presentation and reporting during the presentation phase. Our findings show that LLMs achieve substantial performance improvements across diverse forensic tasks, but critical challenges persist, including the fundamental tension between the probabilistic nature of LLM outputs and deterministic forensic requirements, alongside concerns regarding explainability, reproducibility, and legal admissibility. We identify significant research gaps in validation frameworks, forensic-ready architectures, and standardised evaluation protocols. The survey establishes a comprehensive research agenda spanning technical, methodological, and legal domains, emphasising the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration and human-AI collaborative approaches to preserve forensic integrity when leveraging LLM capabilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 302043"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-06DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302032
Luis de-Marcos , Adrián Domínguez-Díaz , Zlatko Stapic
The Tor darkmarket ecosystem, a hidden segment of the internet hosting a range of illicit activities, remains a critical challenge for cybersecurity and law enforcement. This study employs network analysis to explore the structure, connectivity, and vulnerabilities of Tor hidden services, focusing on the interplay of topics, communication channels, and languages. Using a bipartite network framework, we analyzed 82,285 onion services and 57,071 identification forms (IDs) collected over a 20-week period. Our findings reveal hacking as the dominant topic (57,233 services), followed by finance-crypto (17,900 services), with email (43,298 IDs) and Telegram (11,218 IDs) serving as primary communication channels. Linguistically, Russian prevails in hacking (50,852 services), while English dominates other topics (29,762 services), with Portuguese activity notable in Q&A forums (781 services). Network metrics and visualizations highlight structural contrasts: hacking's expansive, collaborative structure (high diameter, long average path length) contrasts with finance-crypto's compact, centralized network (high density, low path length), reliant on just four IDs to link its services. High-degree nodes underscore vulnerabilities to targeted disruptions. The overall network's fragmentation (1848 components) alongside a large dominant component (76.72 %) suggests both resilience and exploitable interconnectedness. These insights provide a comprehensive understanding of the Tor darkmarket's organization, identifying key leverage points for intervention. By bridging gaps in topical, linguistic, and structural analyses, this study offers actionable strategies for law enforcement to investigate and mitigate illicit activities on the Dark Web, demonstrating the power of network science in addressing cybercrime.
{"title":"Mapping the Tor darkmarket ecosystem: A network analysis of topics, communication channels, and languages","authors":"Luis de-Marcos , Adrián Domínguez-Díaz , Zlatko Stapic","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Tor darkmarket ecosystem, a hidden segment of the internet hosting a range of illicit activities, remains a critical challenge for cybersecurity and law enforcement. This study employs network analysis to explore the structure, connectivity, and vulnerabilities of Tor hidden services, focusing on the interplay of topics, communication channels, and languages. Using a bipartite network framework, we analyzed 82,285 onion services and 57,071 identification forms (IDs) collected over a 20-week period. Our findings reveal hacking as the dominant topic (57,233 services), followed by finance-crypto (17,900 services), with email (43,298 IDs) and Telegram (11,218 IDs) serving as primary communication channels. Linguistically, Russian prevails in hacking (50,852 services), while English dominates other topics (29,762 services), with Portuguese activity notable in Q&A forums (781 services). Network metrics and visualizations highlight structural contrasts: hacking's expansive, collaborative structure (high diameter, long average path length) contrasts with finance-crypto's compact, centralized network (high density, low path length), reliant on just four IDs to link its services. High-degree nodes underscore vulnerabilities to targeted disruptions. The overall network's fragmentation (1848 components) alongside a large dominant component (76.72 %) suggests both resilience and exploitable interconnectedness. These insights provide a comprehensive understanding of the Tor darkmarket's organization, identifying key leverage points for intervention. By bridging gaps in topical, linguistic, and structural analyses, this study offers actionable strategies for law enforcement to investigate and mitigate illicit activities on the Dark Web, demonstrating the power of network science in addressing cybercrime.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 302032"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302033
Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo Senior Editor
{"title":"Editorial – Introducing the last Volume of 2025","authors":"Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo Senior Editor","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302033","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 302033"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-22DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302031
Seonghyeon Lee , Sooyoung Park , Insoo Lee , Jongmoo Choi
SQLite is a lightweight, file-based relational database that is widely deployed on mobile and IoT devices to store diverse data. Due to its widespread use, SQLite has become an important subject of interest in digital forensics. In particular, SQLite exhibits structural characteristics that allow deleted data to persist temporarily within database, specifically through internal components such as the freelist and Write-Ahead Log (WAL). As a result, deleted content often remains recoverable even after deletion requests, making SQLite a valuable source of forensic artifacts. These characteristics have motivated the development of various techniques and tools for recovering deleted records from SQLite. However, comparative evaluations of the strengths, limitations, and performance of each approach based on consistent criteria remain relatively scarce. To address this gap, this study systematically categorizes existing deleted record recovery techniques into three types, namely Metadata-based, Carving-based, and WAL-based, and compares their trade-offs. In addition, we select representative open-source SQLite recovery tools, such as Undark, SQLite Deleted Record Parser, Bring2Lite, and FQLite, and quantitatively measure their recovery performance, reliability, and throughput based on various deletion scenarios. We also present a detailed analysis of incorrect recoveries (false positives) caused by structural changes in the database. These findings can provide practical guidelines for selecting the most suitable SQLite recovery method depending on the context, and can contribute to the development of more effective recovery techniques and tools in the future.
SQLite是一个轻量级的、基于文件的关系数据库,广泛部署在移动设备和物联网设备上,用于存储各种数据。由于其广泛使用,SQLite已成为数字取证领域的一个重要主题。特别是,SQLite显示了允许删除的数据在数据库中临时保存的结构特征,特别是通过自由列表和预写日志(Write-Ahead Log, WAL)等内部组件。因此,即使在删除请求之后,删除的内容通常仍然是可恢复的,这使得SQLite成为取证工件的有价值的来源。这些特点促使开发各种技术和工具来从SQLite中恢复已删除的记录。然而,基于一致的标准对每种方法的优势、局限性和性能的比较评估仍然相对较少。为了解决这一差距,本研究系统地将现有的删除记录恢复技术分为三种类型,即基于元数据的、基于雕刻的和基于wal的,并比较了它们的优缺点。此外,我们选择了具有代表性的开源SQLite恢复工具,如Undark、SQLite Deleted Record Parser、Bring2Lite、FQLite,并根据不同的删除场景,定量测量了它们的恢复性能、可靠性和吞吐量。我们还详细分析了由数据库结构变化引起的错误恢复(误报)。这些发现可以为根据上下文选择最合适的SQLite恢复方法提供实用指导,并有助于将来开发更有效的恢复技术和工具。
{"title":"A comprehensive analysis and evaluation of SQLite deleted Record recovery techniques: A survey","authors":"Seonghyeon Lee , Sooyoung Park , Insoo Lee , Jongmoo Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>SQLite is a lightweight, file-based relational database that is widely deployed on mobile and IoT devices to store diverse data. Due to its widespread use, SQLite has become an important subject of interest in digital forensics. In particular, SQLite exhibits structural characteristics that allow deleted data to persist temporarily within database, specifically through internal components such as the freelist and Write-Ahead Log (WAL). As a result, deleted content often remains recoverable even after deletion requests, making SQLite a valuable source of forensic artifacts. These characteristics have motivated the development of various techniques and tools for recovering deleted records from SQLite. However, comparative evaluations of the strengths, limitations, and performance of each approach based on consistent criteria remain relatively scarce. To address this gap, this study systematically categorizes existing deleted record recovery techniques into three types, namely Metadata-based, Carving-based, and WAL-based, and compares their trade-offs. In addition, we select representative open-source SQLite recovery tools, such as Undark, SQLite Deleted Record Parser, Bring2Lite, and FQLite, and quantitatively measure their recovery performance, reliability, and throughput based on various deletion scenarios. We also present a detailed analysis of incorrect recoveries (false positives) caused by structural changes in the database. These findings can provide practical guidelines for selecting the most suitable SQLite recovery method depending on the context, and can contribute to the development of more effective recovery techniques and tools in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 302031"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As an application focusing on generative artificial intelligence, open-source LLM DeepSeek has been widely adopted by many research institutions and international companies around the world. More than 60 million active daily users have been reported on DeepSeek by QuestMobile. Given the rapid growth in the population of DeepSeek users and the fact that mobile devices gradually function as centers for users to interact with AI chatbots, it is essential to conduct thorough mobile forensics along with network forensics on the DeepSeek mobile app to discover potential evidence stored in both Android and iOS devices and provide valuable insight into its potential vulnerabilities. However, given the app’s recent introduction, there is currently a lack of systematic forensic research that investigates its potentially valuable artifacts, data persistence mechanisms, and network communication patterns across platforms. This research focused on user data and application usage, such as log files, metadata, and other critical traces, which revealed insights into its operational behavior in different versions of DeepSeek and the data sent over the network. Our analysis can help forensic researchers and investigators fully utilize the forensic value of DeepSeek on mobile devices to have a clear view of what can be recovered and obtained.
{"title":"Uncovering digital traces of DeepSeek: Cross-platform mobile and network forensics","authors":"Yufeng Gong , Sonali Tyagi , Vaishnavi Mahindra , Umit Karabiyik","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an application focusing on generative artificial intelligence, open-source LLM DeepSeek has been widely adopted by many research institutions and international companies around the world. More than 60 million active daily users have been reported on DeepSeek by QuestMobile. Given the rapid growth in the population of DeepSeek users and the fact that mobile devices gradually function as centers for users to interact with AI chatbots, it is essential to conduct thorough mobile forensics along with network forensics on the DeepSeek mobile app to discover potential evidence stored in both Android and iOS devices and provide valuable insight into its potential vulnerabilities. However, given the app’s recent introduction, there is currently a lack of systematic forensic research that investigates its potentially valuable artifacts, data persistence mechanisms, and network communication patterns across platforms. This research focused on user data and application usage, such as log files, metadata, and other critical traces, which revealed insights into its operational behavior in different versions of DeepSeek and the data sent over the network. Our analysis can help forensic researchers and investigators fully utilize the forensic value of DeepSeek on mobile devices to have a clear view of what can be recovered and obtained.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 302028"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-12DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302030
Maryna Veksler , Kemal Akkaya , Selcuk Uluagac
The impact of AI has not bypassed the field of digital forensics. However, despite the emergence of AI-based digital forensic methods and tools, their widespread adoption remains limited due to ethical, legal, and practical concerns. While existing research has proposed various solutions to support AI integration in digital forensics, many reiterate challenges already present in traditional digital forensics, focusing heavily on explainable AI, and often overlooking real-world feasibility. Thus, this study investigates the practical challenges affecting the adoption of AI in digital forensics by directly engaging with practitioners.
To this end, we conducted a survey and interview study involving 28 digital forensic experts to explore their experiences with AI-based tools, their perceptions of AI in digital forensics, and the practical challenges they encounter. Our findings highlight key concerns related to validation, transparency, and the explanation and presentation of AI-generated evidence in court. We also find that practical challenges are often broader than those discussed in theory, warranting deeper, practice-oriented analysis and perspectives.
Based on these findings, we propose a practitioner-focused framework to support stakeholders, including forensic professionals, developers, law enforcement, regulators, and researchers, in fostering standardized, responsible, and effective adoption of AI-based digital forensics. Rather than replacing existing procedures, our framework builds on traditional digital forensic processes, extending them to address AI-specific requirements. Finally, as part of this proposed framework, we provide practical recommendations for the development and deployment of AI-based digital forensic tools that are better aligned with real-world investigative needs.
{"title":"Practitioner-driven framework for AI adoption in digital forensics","authors":"Maryna Veksler , Kemal Akkaya , Selcuk Uluagac","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impact of AI has not bypassed the field of digital forensics. However, despite the emergence of AI-based digital forensic methods and tools, their widespread adoption remains limited due to ethical, legal, and practical concerns. While existing research has proposed various solutions to support AI integration in digital forensics, many reiterate challenges already present in traditional digital forensics, focusing heavily on explainable AI, and often overlooking real-world feasibility. Thus, this study investigates the practical challenges affecting the adoption of AI in digital forensics by directly engaging with practitioners.</div><div>To this end, we conducted a survey and interview study involving 28 digital forensic experts to explore their experiences with AI-based tools, their perceptions of AI in digital forensics, and the practical challenges they encounter. Our findings highlight key concerns related to validation, transparency, and the explanation and presentation of AI-generated evidence in court. We also find that practical challenges are often broader than those discussed in theory, warranting deeper, practice-oriented analysis and perspectives.</div><div>Based on these findings, we propose a practitioner-focused framework to support stakeholders, including forensic professionals, developers, law enforcement, regulators, and researchers, in fostering standardized, responsible, and effective adoption of AI-based digital forensics. Rather than replacing existing procedures, our framework builds on traditional digital forensic processes, extending them to address AI-specific requirements. Finally, as part of this proposed framework, we provide practical recommendations for the development and deployment of AI-based digital forensic tools that are better aligned with real-world investigative needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 302030"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145527964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-11DOI: 10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302029
Jisu Park , Jincheol Park , Hyunjun Kim , Soojin Kang , Jongsung Kim
Google provides a diverse suite of applications (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, and Google Docs Editor), which are interconnected to enhance user convenience. This study comparatively analyzes the artifacts generated by 25 Google applications on Android and iOS platforms. We start by describing an artifact acquisition method and the utility of artifacts in digital forensic investigations. Based on these investigations, we identify the differences between the two platforms in terms of their data storage patterns and demonstrate that the integrated analysis of both platforms provides a more comprehensive set of artifacts than single-platform analysis. Subsequently, we analyze the synchronization among Google applications. We demonstrate how various applications share and synchronize data, and present methods for utilizing the interactions among the corresponding artifacts. The results of this analysis, we develop a tool for effectively tracing and analyzing the collected artifacts. By comparing the artifact acquisition rates of Android and iOS, we highlight the distinct data provided by each platform. Compared with existing methods, our integrated approach is expected to provide richer and more accurate digital evidence.
{"title":"A comprehensive artifact analysis of Google applications on Android and iOS platforms","authors":"Jisu Park , Jincheol Park , Hyunjun Kim , Soojin Kang , Jongsung Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.302029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Google provides a diverse suite of applications (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, and Google Docs Editor), which are interconnected to enhance user convenience. This study comparatively analyzes the artifacts generated by 25 Google applications on Android and iOS platforms. We start by describing an artifact acquisition method and the utility of artifacts in digital forensic investigations. Based on these investigations, we identify the differences between the two platforms in terms of their data storage patterns and demonstrate that the integrated analysis of both platforms provides a more comprehensive set of artifacts than single-platform analysis. Subsequently, we analyze the synchronization among Google applications. We demonstrate how various applications share and synchronize data, and present methods for utilizing the interactions among the corresponding artifacts. The results of this analysis, we develop a tool for effectively tracing and analyzing the collected artifacts. By comparing the artifact acquisition rates of Android and iOS, we highlight the distinct data provided by each platform. Compared with existing methods, our integrated approach is expected to provide richer and more accurate digital evidence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48481,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Science International-Digital Investigation","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 302029"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145527963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}