We often write about full file system acquisition, yet we rarely explain what it is, when you can do it, and which methods you can use. We decided to clarify low-level extraction of Apple mobile devices (iPhones and iPads, and some other IoT devices such as Apple TVs and Apple Watches).

iOS Forensic Toolkit 7.40 brings gapless low-level extraction support for several iOS versions up to and including iOS 15.1 (15.1.1 on some devices), adding compatibility with previously unsupported versions of iOS 14.

A pre-requisite to successful forensic analysis is accurate information about the device being investigated. Knowing the exact model number of the device helps identify the SoC used and the range of available iOS versions, which in turn pre-determines the available acquisition methods. Identifying the iPhone model may not be as obvious as it may seem. In this article, we’ll go through several methods for finding the iPhone model.

While we continue working on the major update to iOS Forensic Toolkit with forensically sound checkm8 extraction, we keep updating the current release branch. iOS Forensic Toolkit 7.30 brings low-level file system extraction support for iOS 15.1, expanding the ability to perform full file system extraction on iOS devices ranging from the iPhone 8 through iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Regular or disposable Apple IDs can now be used to extract data from compatible iOS devices if you have a Mac. The use of a non-developer Apple ID carries certain risks and restrictions. In particular, one must “verify” the extraction agent on the target iPhone, which requires an active Internet connection. Learn how to verify the extraction agent signed with a regular or disposable Apple ID without the risk of receiving an accidental remote lock or remote erase command.

Do you have to know which SoC a certain Apple device is based on? If you are working in mobile forensics, the answer is positive. Along with the version of iOS/watchOS/iPadOS, the SoC is one of the deciding factors that affects the data extraction paths available in each case. Read this article to better understand your options for each generation of Apple platforms.

Over the last several years, the use of smart wearables continued to grow despite slowing sales. Among the many models, the Apple Watch Series 3 occupies a special spot. Introduced back in 2017, this model is still available new, occupying the niche of the most affordable wearable device in the Apple ecosystem. All that makes the Series 3 one of the most common Apple Watch models. The latest update to iOS Forensic Toolkit enables low-level extraction of the Apple Watch 3 using the checkm8 exploit.

iOS Forensic Toolkit 7.10 brings low-level file system extraction support for a bunch of iOS versions. This includes the entire range of iPhone models based on the A11, A12, and A13 Bionic platforms running iOS 14.4 through 14.8.

The new year is just around the corner, and so it’s the right time to review our achievements in 2021. We’ve done plenty of researching, developing and updating, and posted a great deal of content in our blog. Let’s run through the most exciting developments of the year!

Half a year ago, we started a closed beta-testing of a revolutionary new build of iOS Forensic Toolkit. Using the checkm8 exploit, the first beta delivered forensically sound file system extraction for a large number of Apple devices. Today, we are rolling out the new, significantly improved second beta of the tool that delivers repeatable, forensically sound extractions based on the checkm8 exploit.