10.25394/PGS.8029109.v1
Nicolas Villacis Vukadinovic
Nicolas Villacis
Vukadinovic
WhatsApp Forensics: Locating Artifacts in Web and Desktop Clients
Purdue University Graduate School
2019
WhatsApp
web client
desktop client
artifacts
windows
mac
chrome
safari
firefox
edge
digital forensics
cyber forensics
computer forensics
forensics
Computer System Security
2019-05-14 18:37:12
Thesis
https://hammer.purdue.edu/articles/thesis/WhatsApp_Forensics_Locating_Artifacts_in_Web_and_Desktop_Clients/8029109
WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging application worldwide. Since 2016, users can send and receive messages through desktop clients, either through the WhatsApp desktop application or the web client accessible from supported web browsers. The author identified a gap in the literature in terms of WhatsApp forensics for desktop and web clients. The aim of the study was to locate forensic artifacts on WhatsApp clients. These clients included the desktop application on both Windows and Mac operating systems. Chrome and Firefox web clients were also analyzed for the Windows operating system, as well as Chrome and Safari web clients on the Mac operating system. A WhatsApp log file was identified as the main artifact providing information throughout all clients analyzed. Cached profile pictures were also found, as well as history information about visited websites and ran applications.