Chapter 6: Dissecting Location Data
In the previous chapter, we learned all about pattern-of-life artifacts that can be found on iOS devices, such as application usage and system events, and how to manually analyze databases and logs. In this chapter, we will focus on one of the most interesting types of data that can be found on a mobile device, which is location data.
Mobile devices store a wealth of location data, such as data pertaining to cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, and Bluetooth devices that come into close proximity with the device. Location artifacts can also be extracted from third-party applications or multimedia files.
We'll start the chapter by learning what location data is, how a device determines its position, and where this data is stored. We will learn the differences between GPS, cell tower triangulation, and Wi-Fi locations. Then, we will take an in-depth look at some of the SQLite databases that store location data, and we will learn how to analyze them...