Uncovering Signal: Simplifying Forensic Investigations of the Signal Application
2021 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesisAlternative title
Signals Svaghet : Underlättande av forensiska undersökningar av chatapplikationen Signal (Swedish)
Abstract [en]
The increasing availability of easy-to-use end-to-end encrypted messaging applications has made it possible for more people to conduct their conversations privately. This is something that criminals have taken advantage of and it has proven to make digital forensic investigations more difficult as methods of decrypting the data are needed. In this thesis, data from iOS and Windows devices is extracted and analysed, with focus on the application Signal. Even though other operating systems are compatible with the Signal application, such as Android, it is outside the scope of this thesis. The results of this thesis provide access to data stored in the encrypted application Signalwithout the need for expensive analysis tools. This is done by developing and publishing the first open-source script for decryption and parsing of the Signal database. The script is available for anyone at https://github.com/decryptSignal/decryptSignal.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2021. , p. 68
Keywords [en]
Signal, Encryption, Digital forensics, Database analysis, Decryption, SQLCipher, Jailbreak, Objection, FRIDA, Open-source, Digital forensic tool
National Category
Computer Systems
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-44835OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hh-44835DiVA, id: diva2:1568858
Subject / course
Digital Forensics
Educational program
Master's Programme in Network Forensics, 60 credits
Supervisors
Examiners
2021-06-112021-06-182025-10-01Bibliographically approved