Analysis of Digital Data by File Signature Method on Android Version 9

Objective: The use of smartphones has exponentially increased over the past decade. Nowadays, the use of a cellphone has not just been restricted to make calls, but it's also actively used to connect people throughout the globe through social media and sharing multimedia files over the internet. Smartphones have made these things possible and easily available with just a single touch. But along with this development and digitalization, an increase in the rate of cybercrime has also surfaced, which includes crime like illicit possession, distribution, and modification of multimedia files. Hence, smartphones are seen as a rich source of evidence-based on the crimes discussed. This process is carried out to analyze smartphone’s multimedia files to determine their origin and to verify if the multimedia files originated from the same device or transferred through any process. Methods: An examiner must analyze, recover, and authenticate the files stored in a smartphone device. Android version 9 was used for analysis since it is the most common and abundant platform generally found on most people’s phones. Examination of computer files is achieved by analyzing the file in hexadecimal editor software; the software used in this analysis is HxD. Results: File signature and metadata analysis of smartphones’ multimedia files was performed to render the source of the files. Conclusion: The conducted file signature and metadata analysis clearly stated that by using hexadecimal editor software- HxD origin and source of smartphones’ multimedia file can be rendered.