CFS 485 Mobile Device Security and Forensics
This course provides a comprehensive, hands-on exploration of mobile device
security and forensic investigation techniques, equipping students with both
foundational principles and advanced practical skills. Through the use of
modern forensic tools and methodologies, students will learn to conduct
structured investigations that adhere to forensically sound procedures,
ensuring the integrity and admissibility of digital evidence in legal proceedings.
The course covers the entire mobile forensic process for Android and iOS devices, including data acquisition, extraction (including recovery of deleted
data), analysis, and forensic reporting. Students will gain proficiency in
identifying and examining digital artifacts, utilizing command-line and
graphical open-source forensic tools, and assessing mobile application security
to uncover vulnerabilities. Additionally, the course emphasizes the ethical and
legal considerations essential for forensic investigators and teaches students
how to prepare and present investigative findings in a professional forensic
report format. Hands-on labs will incorporate specialized hardware and
industry-standard software to simulate real-world forensic investigations,
enabling students to apply their knowledge to analyze mobile device file
systems, investigate security threats, and assess forensic methodologies. By the
end of the course, students will be well-equipped to handle complex mobile
forensic investigations and contribute to digital forensic and cybersecurity
domains.
First day attendance is mandatory.
Note: Students are responsible to both be aware of and abide by prerequisites for CFS and ICS courses for which they enroll, and will be administratively dropped from a course if they have not met prerequisites.
Special information
Note: Students are responsible to both be aware of and abide by prerequisites for CFS and ICS courses for which they enroll, and will be administratively dropped from a course if they have not met prerequisites.
4 Undergraduate credits
Effective August 20, 2016 to present
Learning outcomes
General
- Analyze current mobile device trends, related technologies, and forensic methods using command-line and graphical open-source tools to examine a wide range of mobile device targets and artifacts.
- Differentiate various file system structures utilized in different mobile devices and examine their forensic implications.
- Explain mobile device forensics, demonstrate forensically sound investigation techniques, and acquire and analyze data from mobile devices using industrystandard tools.
- Identify and examine common artifacts from Android and iOS operating systems during forensic investigations.
- Evaluate the principles and practices of Ethics and Law for computer forensics investigators and their impact on forensic procedures.
- Prepare and present the evidence and conclusions of an investigation in a professional forensic report format.
- Assess the security of mobile applications running on major platforms to identify various vulnerabilities that may exist in these applications.