Chapter 2. Acquisition Methods Overview

With a wide range of mobile devices around, multiple acquisition methods exist. There is no single universal acquisition method available to all models. Some acquisition methods depend on the phone's lock and encryption status, OS version, type of available storage, and so on. You'll have to work your way through the investigation to discover what acquisition methods are available for a particular device.

The following is a quick overview of the acquisition methods available for the different mobile platforms listed from the easiest to the most advanced (and labor-intensive). For more details about each acquisition method, please refer to chapters on individual platforms.

This chapter discusses existing acquisition methods and their applicability on major mobile platforms:

• Over-the-air acquisition
• Acquiring evidence from mobile backups
• Physical acquisition - availability and applicability
• Advanced acquisition methods - JTAG, ISP, and chip-off