Cell Phone Forensic Software Tools – Guest Lecture by IIT Alum and Current Student
Ben Khodja, a current IIT Master of Cyber Forensics and Security student, and Terence Fernandes, a Master of Computer and Network Security 2012 graduate, discussed Cell Phone Forensic Software Tools during the ITMS 555 Mobile Cyber Forensics course on Monday, November 10, 2014 at Rice Campus in Wheaton. Fernandes, a Mobile Security Engineer and Team Lead at viaForensics – an Oak Park, Ill. company that is a world-leader in cell phone forensics – and Khodja, a former intern discussed viaExtract and viaLab, two tools developed by viaForensics.
Abstracts and Speaker Information
viaExtract
Data present on a mobile device might consist of one or more artifacts crucial to an investigation including contact lists, call records, photos, downloads, messages (emails, text messages, and instant messages), application-specific information (such as a list of Facebook friends), and information about the device itself (such as a list of all of the applications that are installed as well as which WiFi access points the device has been configured to automatically connect to). viaForensics's viaExtract software has been designed to assist the forensic investigator with its ability to perform various types of data extractions on a wide range of devices running the Android mobile operating system and, soon, Apple's iOS mobile operating system. Ben discussed and demonstrated viaExtract's data extraction capabilities as well as other features that have been implemented to assist with the investigation process.
Speaker
Ben Khodja is currently a graduate student in IIT's Master of Cyber Forensics and Security (MCFS) program completing his thesis work in steganography while on leave from viaForensics. In addition to Khodja’s work in cell phone forensics, he has developed one of the best MP3 Steganalysis tools available. He recently presented this work at a national ACM conference.
viaLab
viaLab, a recently announced product from viaForensics, is helpful for security-minded analysts. Different areas of mobile security were discussed to better understand how the tool can help running forensic, network and code analysis. Examples using real-world apps and quick demos to highlight some of the features were also performed. Also discussed was the CE edition, and some of the exciting stuff planned for the product.
Speaker
Terence Fernandes, since graduating from Illinois Tech, has been with viaForensics, first as a forensics analyst and now as a Mobile Security Engineer and the Team Lead for the viaLab product. Fernandes is a graduate of IIT's School of Applied Technology with a Master's in Computer and Network Security.
Pictured from Left to right are:
Dawid Broda - Lab Manager of IIT’s Cyber Forensics and Security Lab and Graduate student in Master of Information Technology and Management
Bill Lidinsky – Director of School of Applied Technology Computer Security and Forensics Laboratory, Graduate Adviser, and Industry Professor of Information Technology and Management
Terence Fernandes – viaForensics, Mobile Security Engineer and Team Lead for the viaLab product, and 2012 graduate of IIT School of Applied Technology with a Master's in Computer and Network Security
Ben Khodja - Associate Lab Manager, Conference Chairperson of ForenSecure: Cyber Forensics and Security Conference and Expo, and graduate student in Master of Cyber Forensics and Security
