MSAB Digital Forensics Glossary

Key Terms and Definitions

 

Welcome to Our Digital Forensics GlossaryA 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.

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A geographically dispersed network (e.g., the internet), analyzed in forensics to trace data across regions or […]

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WannaCry

A infamous ransomware strain exploiting Windows vulnerabilities, studied in forensics to trace its spread, dec […]

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War Driving

The act of scanning for unsecured Wi-Fi networks while mobile, investigated in forensics to detect unauthorize […]

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Web History

A record of visited websites stored in a browser, analyzed in forensics to establish timelines, uncover user b […]

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Web Proxy

An intermediary server rerouting web traffic, examined in forensics to trace true IP origins or bypass anonymi […]

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Whitelist

Eine Liste genehmigter Entitäten (z. B. Apps, IPs), die in der forensischen Analyse überprüft wurden, um Abwei […]

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Wi-Fi Forensics

Die Analyse von Daten aus drahtlosen Netzwerken (z. B. SSIDs, Verbindungsprotokolle), die verwendet wird, um G […]

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Windows Event Logs

System-generated records of activities (e.g., logins, errors), parsed in forensics to reconstruct events, dete […]

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Windows Registry

A hierarchical database of Windows settings and configurations, mined in forensics for evidence of software us […]

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Wipe

The intentional erasure of data from a device, investigated in forensics to determine intent, recover remnants […]

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Wireframe

A basic design structure (e.g., of an app or website), occasionally analyzed in forensics to understand user i […]

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Wireless Access Point (WAP)

A device enabling Wi-Fi connectivity, examined in forensics to map network usage, identify connected devices, […]

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Wireshark

A popular network protocol analyzer, used in forensics to capture and dissect packet data, revealing communica […]

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Workflow

The MSAB Workflow, designed for frontline so the MSAB Kiosk, MSAB Tablet and XRY Express can be used whilst al […]

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Worm

Self-replicating malware spreading across networks, analyzed in forensics to trace its propagation, payload, o […]

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Write Blocker

A hardware or software tool preventing modifications to a storage device during forensic imaging, ensuring evi […]

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