6 Persistent Challenges with Smartphone Forensics

 Engler, Ronen & Miller, Christa. 6 Persistent Challenges with Smartphone Forensics, (2013):1-5 is an article that reveals six major challenges associated with Smartphone forensics. Smartphone, which is the most popular mobile technology for making effective communications, is one of the most challenging devices for extracting evidentiary information. Many business forensic devices have made significant progress toward evidentiary data support such as Blackberry, iOS, Android and many others, but the challenges remain high (Engler and Miller 1). Engler and Miller reveal varied challenges that have been on the increase with Smartphone forensics. The authors argue that a Smartphones is not only just a Smartphone but rather varies significantly because of varied operating systems and vendors (Engler and Miller 1). 
Moreover, data storage differs significantly from one device to another or from one operating system to another. This creates challenges to data protection because it becomes easier to extract information from this device in case it does not have a password.  Another challenge is that Smartphones prepaid burner becomes a problem and file system extraction can be time consuming even where there is effective forensic device (Engler and Miller 3).  There is also apps challenge which varies across mobile carriers and the mobile apps for support of forensic began recently, and only covers the commonly popular apps. Therefore, to decode apps data, the mobile forensic devices should be able to execute file system reconstruction (Engler and Miller 4). 
Even though Smartphones support forensic soundness and offer accurate data, the boot loader use in not supported in some devices such as Android. Therefore, it may be effective to temporarily root the device to enable it perform physical extraction but temporary rooting is not sound effective in forensic. This is because it only loads the operating system of the device, which may be logged within the system (Engler and Miller 5). The last challenge is that some smartphones extractions are not supported by forensic dev ices. Therefore, chip-off, JTAG or flasher box extraction technique becomes necessary in this stage to enable physical extraction of data. Engler and Miller (5) argue that a logical analysis cannot be performed on an unsupported locked tool unless this capability can be limited. Indeed, smartphones forensics may result after varied years of research activities; thus the evolvement of Smartphone continues to pose persistent forensic challenges.

Opinions
Mobile devices have significantly become vital components in the daily lives of many people in the current society. These devices keep people in connection and play significant roles because they are portable, as well as, highly secure. The increased evolvement of Smartphones with varied storage capacities has supported forensic activities. However, my view is that the frequent hardware alterations and data volatility have hindered the effective performance of Smartphones in forensic activities. Moreover, even though Smartphones have been for a long time viewed as an effective device for forensic activities, the increased technology and higher rate of mobile insecurity have contributed to varied challenges. Many hackers have nowadays advanced hacking skills; thus they have become a threat to many large corporate industries, as well as hindered effective forensic research activities. Thus, it is effective for Smartphones Company to advance skills vital for reducing challenges that many Smartphones users are facing in the contemporary society.