In modern digital forensics, a reliable USB hub isn’t just a convenience – it’s a critical piece of lab infrastructure. With today’s laptops (especially MacBooks) offering only one or two USB-C ports – often occupied by power adapters – connecting all the required equipment becomes a real challenge. USB hubs help bridge this gap, solving port limitations, improving device compatibility, and even increasing the stability of the checkm8 exploit used for iPhone data extraction. This article explains why and where to use USB hubs shine in forensic workflows and how to choose the right model for your lab.

Staying on the bleeding edge of today’s technologies requires constant work. ElcomSoft lab is one of the busiest places in the company. Last year, we had dozens of devices passing through our lab. This publication opens the series of articles in which we’ll share insider’s information on what we do, what we are about to do, and how we do that. So let’s shed some light on what’s going on inside ElcomSoft lab.