Are deleted text messages gone forever?
It is true that most IT departments lack the know-how to recover old or deleted text messages even if they’re in possession of the devices, but that’s not the case with mobile forensics experts armed with an array of new tools.
Perhaps because of a false belief that deleted text messages stay buried, many people rely on text messaging to carry out their dirty work, such as stealing trade secrets and other intellectual property, violating non-compete agreements and committing fraud. Even Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations involving bribery and price-fixing regularly run into text messaging.
It really depends on the make and model of the phone, in terms of how difficult it’s going to be. Text messages are usually outside the normal monitoring of the IT department. They may not be going through the system at all, rather through the carrier in a phone-to-phone transaction. You really need to have access to one or more physical devices.
In my experience, the Android phone might be easier to get at the physical level, but the iPhone backup tends to be more extensive and more prevalent. Maybe because of the nature of iTunes, people tend to back up to a laptop. So I don’t think there’s a preference for one phone or another. Forensically, we’ve got possibilities to go after deleted text messages on either one.
Perhaps because of a false belief that deleted text messages stay buried, many people rely on text messaging to carry out their dirty work, such as stealing trade secrets and other intellectual property, violating non-compete agreements and committing fraud. Even Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations involving bribery and price-fixing regularly run into text messaging.
It really depends on the make and model of the phone, in terms of how difficult it’s going to be. Text messages are usually outside the normal monitoring of the IT department. They may not be going through the system at all, rather through the carrier in a phone-to-phone transaction. You really need to have access to one or more physical devices.
In my experience, the Android phone might be easier to get at the physical level, but the iPhone backup tends to be more extensive and more prevalent. Maybe because of the nature of iTunes, people tend to back up to a laptop. So I don’t think there’s a preference for one phone or another. Forensically, we’ve got possibilities to go after deleted text messages on either one.
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