This document provides an overview of Android forensics. It discusses rooting Android devices to gain access to the file system, seizing devices and memory cards, creating bit-by-bit forensic images using tools like dd and viaExtract, analyzing the images to recover data using WinHex and SQLite browsers, and maintaining a proper chain of custody. Indian cyber laws covering digital crimes when computers are the target or weapon are also briefly outlined.

1. PRESENTED BY
Manish Chasta,
Principal Consultant,
Indusface
Android Forensics
Manish Chasta, CI S S P | CHF I

2. Agenda
Introduction to Android
Rooting Android
Seizing Android Device
Forensic Steps
Chain of Custody
Indian Cyber Laws

3. Introduction to Android
• Most widely used mobile OS
• Developed by Google
• OS + Middleware + Applications
• Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is
responsible for maintenance and further
development

4. Presence in the Market
• According to Gartner report, Android captured
36% market share in Q1 of 2011.
• Listed as the best selling Smartphone
worldwide by Canalys.
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5. Android Architecture
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6. Android Architecture: Linux Kernel
• Linux kernel with system services:
– Security
– Memory and process management
– Network stack
• Provide driver to access hardware:
– Camera
– Display and audio
– Wifi
– …
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7. Android Architecture: Android RunTime
• Core Libraries:
– Written in Java
– Provides the functionality of Java programming language
– Interpreted by Dalvik VM
• Dalvik VM:
– Java based VM, a lightweight substitute to JVM
– Unlike JVM, DVM is a register based Virtual Machine
– DVM is optimized to run on limited main memory and less
CPU usage
– Java code (.class files) converted into .dex format to be
able to run on Android platform
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8. SQLite Database
• SQLite Database:
– SQLite is a widely used, lightweight database
– Used by most mobile OS i.e. iPhone, Android,
Symbian, webOS
– SQLite is a free to use and open source database
– Zero-configuration - no setup or administration
needed.
– A complete database is stored in a single cross-
platform disk file.
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9. How Android can be used in Cyber Crime?
• Software Theft
• Terrorism Activity
• Pornography / Child Pornography
• Financial Crime
• Sexual harassment Cases
• Murder or other Criminal activities
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10. Forensic Process: An Open Source Approach
• Seizing the device
• Creating 1:1 image
• Recovering the useful data
• Analyzing the image to discover evidences
• Maintain Chain of Custody
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11. Seizing Android Device
• If device is Off – Do not turn ‘ON’
• If device is On – Let it ON and keep device
charging
• Take photos and display of the device
• Seize all other accessories available i.e.
Memory card, cables etc.
• Label all evidences and document everything
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12. Creating 1:1 Image
• Creating Image of Memory Card
• Creating Image of Device
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13. Creating Image of Memory Card
• Fat 32 file system
• Easy to create image
• In most cases, applications wont store any
sensitive data in memory card
• Number of commercials and open source tools
are available
13

14. Creating Image of Memory Card
• Using Winhex
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15. Creating Image of the Device
• Android’s file systems
• Importance of rooting
• Rooting Samsung Galaxy device
15

16. Rooting Android Device
Step 1: Download CF Rooted Karnal
files and Odin3 Software
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17. Rooting Android Device
• Step 2: Keep handset on debugging mode
17

18. Rooting Android Device
• Step 3: Run Odin3
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19. Rooting Android Device
• Step 4: Reboot the phone in download mode
• Step 5: Connect to the PC
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20. Rooting Android Device
• Step 6: Select required file i.e: PDA, Phone, CSC files
• Step 7: Click on Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time and hit Start button
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21. Rooting Android Device
• If your phone is Rooted... You will see PASS!! In Odin3
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22. Creating Image of the Device
• Taking backup with DD
– low-level copying and conversion of raw data
– Create bit by bit image of disk
– Output Can be readable by any forensic tool
– Typical Syntax : dd if=/dev/SDA of=/sdcard/SDA.dd
– Interesting Locations
• datadata
• datasystem
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23. Creating Image of the Device
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24. Creating Image of the Device
• Taking image with viaExtract tool
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25. Recovering Data
• Using WinHex
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26. Analysing Image
• Reading the Image
• Looking for KEY data
• Searching techniques (DT Search)
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27. Analysing Image
• Winhex
• Manual Intelligence
• viaExtract
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28. Analyzing SQLite
• SQLite stores most critical information
• Interesting place for Investigators
• Tools
– Epilog
– sqlite database browser
– sqlite_analyzer
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29. Analyzing SQLite
• Epilog
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30. Maintaining ‘Chain of Custody’
• What is Chain of Custody?
• CoC can have following information:
 What is the evidence?
 How did you get it?
 When was it collected?
 Who has handled it?
 Why did that person handle it?
 Where has it travelled, and where was it
ultimately stored?
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31. Indian Laws covering Digital Crimes
• We can categorize Cyber crimes in two ways:
– The Computer as a Target
– The computer as a weapon
• Indian Laws:
– IT Act 2000
– IT(Amendment) Act, 2008
– Rules under section 6A, 43A and 79
• MIT site: http://mit.gov.in/content/cyber-laws
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32. Manish Chasta
manish.chasta@owasp.org
chasta.manish@gmail.com