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(A logical extraction is quicker and easier, but also more limited, than the deeper but more challenging type of extraction, a вЂњ physical extraction ,вЂќ which can work on locked devices, though not with 100% reliability. And the kind of extraction (a вЂњ logical extraction вЂќ) at issue here requires the device to be unlocked and open. So, take the raw data out, then turn it into something useful for the user, all in a forensically sound manner.ДЄs SignalвЂ™s blog post explains, this two-part system requires physical access to the phone these arenвЂ™t tools for remotely accessing someoneвЂ™s phone.

The willingness of companies like Cellebrite to sell to unsavory governments is why there have been calls from human rights leaders and groups for a global moratorium on selling these sorts of surveillance tools to governments.Д¬ellebrite has a few different products, but as relevant here, thereвЂ™s a two-part system in play: the first part, called UFED (which stands for Universal Forensic Extraction Device), extracts the data from a mobile device and backs it up to a Windows PC, and the second part, called Physical Analyzer, parses and indexes the data so itвЂ™s searchable. and other countries that respect the rule of law, but also to repressive governments that persecute their own people, where the definition of вЂњcriminalвЂќ might just mean being gay or criticizing the government. But a lot of vendors in this industry, the industry of selling surveillance technologies to governments, sell not only to the U.S. The vendors of these kinds of tools love to get up on their high horse and talk about how theyвЂ™re the вЂњgood guys,вЂќ they help keep the world safe from criminals and terrorists. As SignalвЂ™s blog post notes, вЂњTheir customer list has included authoritarian regimes in Belarus, Russia, Venezuela, and China death squads in Bangladesh military juntas in Myanmar and those seeking to abuse and oppress in Turkey, UAE, and elsewhere.вЂќ Plus, ICE has contracts with Cellebrite worth tens of millions of dollars.Д«ut Cellebrite has lots of customers besides U.S. вЂњThe mobile forensics process aims to recover digital evidence or relevant data from a mobile device in a way that will preserve the evidence in a forensically sound condition,вЂќ using accepted methods, so that it can later be presented in court.Д«etween Cellebrite and the other vendors in the industry of mobile device forensics tools, there are over two thousand law enforcement agencies across the country that have such tools - including 49 of the 50 biggest cities in the U.S. is to be used by law enforcement in criminal investigations, typically with a warrant under the Fourth Amendment that allows them to search someoneвЂ™s phone and seize data from it.Д¬ellebriteвЂ™s products are part of the industry of вЂњmobile device forensicsвЂќ tools.

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Nevertheless, I have a raised eyebrow for Signal here too.Д¬ellebrite is an Israeli company that, per SignalвЂ™s blog post, вЂњmakes software to automate physically extracting and indexing data from mobile devices.вЂќ A common use case here in the U.S. Is that motion likely to succeed? What will be the likely ramifications of Signal's discovery in court cases? I think the impact on existing cases will be negligible, but that Signal has made an important point that may help push the mobile device forensics industry towards greater accountability for their often sloppy product security.

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While Cellebrite has since taken steps to mitigate the vulnerability, there's already been a motion for a new trial filed in at least one criminal case on the basis of Signal's blog post.

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In April, the team behind the popular end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) chat app Signal published a blog post detailing how they had obtained a Cellebrite device, analyzed the software, and found vulnerabilities that would allow for arbitrary code execution by a device that's being scanned with a Cellebrite tool.ДЄs coverage of the blog post pointed out, the vulnerability draws into question whether Cellebrite's tools are reliable in criminal prosecutions after all. It's popular with law enforcement agencies as a tool for gathering digital evidence from smartphones in their custody. Cellebrite's software extracts data from mobile devices and generates a report about the extraction. You may have seen a story in the news recently about vulnerabilities discovered in the digital forensics tool made by Israeli firm Cellebrite. (I kinda doubt theyвЂ™ll hire me again if they read this, though.)

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Full disclosure: IвЂ™ve done some consulting work for Signal, albeit not on anything like this issue.

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This blog post is based off of a talk I gave on at the Stanford Computer Science DepartmentвЂ™s weekly lunch talk series on computer security topics.

Ufed reader troubleshooting