MSAB Digital Forensics Glossary
Key Terms and Definitions
Welcome to Our Digital Forensics Glossary — A resource for clear, concise definitions of key terms used in digital forensic investigations. This glossary includes terminology used in the field of smartphone investigations, mobile data extraction, and the analysis of digital evidence from mobile devices.
As mobile phones become central to cybercrime and digital investigations, it’s essential to understand critical concepts such as IMEI, mobile data acquisition, app artifacts, and SIM card analysis. You’ll also find definitions of broader digital forensics terms like hash values, metadata, and chain of custody — all explained in a straightforward, accessible format. Whether you’re a mobile forensics specialist, law enforcement officer, cybersecurity professional, or student, this glossary offers up-to-date explanations to help you navigate the rapidly evolving field of mobile forensics.
Obfuscation
The deliberate act of making code, data, or communications difficult to understand, analyzed in forensics to decode malware, hidden messages, or disguised files.
Read full termOCR (Optical Character Recognition)
A technology converting scanned images or photos of text into machine-readable data, used in forensics to extract text from evidence like screenshots or documents.
Read full termOffline Analysis
The examination of digital evidence (e.g., a forensic image) on a separate system after collection, ensuring the original device remains unaltered during investigation.
Read full termOnion Routing
A technique for anonymous communication (e.g., Tor network), investigated in forensics to trace dark web activity or unmask users despite layered encryption.
Read full termOpen-Source Intelligence (OSINT)
The collection and analysis of publicly available data (e.g., social media, websites), often integrated with digital forensics to contextualize evidence or identify suspects.
Read full termOperating System Forensics
The investigation of an OS (e.g., Windows, Linux) to recover evidence from system files, logs, or registry entries, revealing user actions or system compromises.
Read full termOrphaned File
A file disconnected from its parent directory (e.g., due to deletion), recovered in forensics from unallocated space to uncover lost or hidden evidence.
Read full termOTA (Over-The-Air) Updates in Mobile Forensics
OTA (Over-The-Air) updates refer to the process of remotely updating a mobile device’s operating system, firmware, or applications without requiring a physical connection to a computer. While OTA updates provide convenience and security benefits for users, they can present challenges for mobile forensic investigations. Impact of OTA Updates on Mobile Forensics Data Modification: OTA updates […]
Read full termOut-of-Band Communication
Data exchange outside the primary channel (e.g., via SMS during a network attack), examined in forensics to detect covert activity or alternate evidence sources.
Read full termOverwriting
The process of replacing data on a storage medium, a challenge in forensics as it can destroy evidence, though partial recovery may still be possible from remnants.
Read full termOwner
The entity (e.g., user, organization) associated with a device, file, or account, identified in forensics to establish custody, responsibility, or intent in an investigation.
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