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Blackberry Q10

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Ehdevlin
(@ehdevlin)
Posts: 26
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

I have a Blackberry Q-10 that I am trying to extract the live SMS from for a court proceeding. I have read the prior topics on the Blackberry Z-10 (and the references for the Q-10), and noticed that most of them concern breaking encryption.

My cellebrite will pull the contacts but nothing more. Neither will Device Seizure. I have also tried the free program of Blackberry Backup Extractor but they cant read this format.

Anyone have any idea other than the old world mode (photographing the screen) as to how to extract the SMS from a Q-10?

 
Posted : 13/01/2014 1:08 am
(@dcs1094)
Posts: 146
Estimable Member
 

I have a Blackberry Q-10 that I am trying to extract the live SMS from for a court proceeding. I have read the prior topics on the Blackberry Z-10 (and the references for the Q-10), and noticed that most of them concern breaking encryption.

My cellebrite will pull the contacts but nothing more. Neither will Device Seizure. I have also tried the free program of Blackberry Backup Extractor but they cant read this format.

Anyone have any idea other than the old world mode (photographing the screen) as to how to extract the SMS from a Q-10?

I believe that the issues surrounding the Z10 topic, also apply for the Q10 model.

I have not done many of these, however the last one we had required a full manual examination due to the encryption. Cellebrite, XRY and so on will only extract contacts as you have found out.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but looks like your going to have to do a manual exam!

 
Posted : 14/01/2014 10:07 pm
(@cs1337)
Posts: 83
Trusted Member
 

I would try reaching out on the Crackberry Forums where all the blackberry Gurus reside.

 
Posted : 15/01/2014 2:45 am
nlpd120
(@nlpd120)
Posts: 96
Trusted Member
 

The Blackberry 10 Series don't use the BlackBerry Desktop software for doing back ups. Those back ups are commonly viewed by a variety of mobile device forensic tools and even other non forensic tools. Instead they use BlackBerry Link instead. http//us.blackberry.com/software/desktop/blackberry-link.html

So far in doing searches it appears the utility available is just as limited with these BBX Back up files. May be a matter for Chip Off Forensics with these devices - if that is a possibility due to encryption.

I have not played around with BlackBerry 10s because here in the US they appear to be being returned to sellers (that I have spoken with) in favor of other devices.

Keep us posted if you find something that works well.

Regards,

Chris Currier

 
Posted : 15/01/2014 5:58 am
Ehdevlin
(@ehdevlin)
Posts: 26
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

I ended up working around it in a way that I personally hate, but was left with little other options. I attempted to process it with the Cellebrite UFED Touch, Paraben's Device Seizure 6.5, Sustein's Secureview, and Oxygen, and received no results.

I ended up speaking with both parties and the court, and presented the last resort option, where I placed a Blackberry App on the device called SMS Backup. The application created an XML and a Excel Work Book of the entire contents of the SMS and MMS on the device. It was nice because the device only displayed about 40 SMS message, but it exported more than 1200, and located the ones that each party was wanting. As a further evaluation of the integrity of the extraction, I compared the SMS times with call detail records and were able to receive sufficient match that everyone accepted the authenticity.

It was not the way I would prefer to do it, but in the civil case it was the best option I felt that I had and everyone was satisfied.

 
Posted : 16/01/2014 9:30 pm
nlpd120
(@nlpd120)
Posts: 96
Trusted Member
 

Thanks for the update. Sometimes we have to find a utility that works. Otherwise we get very little or nothing.

Chris

 
Posted : 17/01/2014 11:58 pm
 RonS
(@rons)
Posts: 358
Reputable Member
 

Cellebrite UFED Touch and UFED 4PC will support logical extraction from BB 10 devices in its next release that will include SMS messages.

Ron

 
Posted : 18/01/2014 2:05 am
Ehdevlin
(@ehdevlin)
Posts: 26
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

lol, of course that would be my luck. Any chance of a Physical on these? I would really like to recover some deleted messages.

 
Posted : 18/01/2014 2:43 am
(@dcs1094)
Posts: 146
Estimable Member
 

Cellebrite UFED Touch and UFED 4PC will support logical extraction from BB 10 devices in its next release that will include SMS messages.

Ron

Perfect timing! Cellebrite saves the day…… well at least for some of us hey Ehdevlin! lol

In all fairness, yet more great news from Ron & Cellebrites R&D!

 
Posted : 18/01/2014 4:34 am
(@merriora)
Posts: 44
Eminent Member
 

I currently have a Q10 that I need to analyze. Has there been any updates or other solutions over the past 2 months? I checked Cellebrites recent supported phone list and it shows as only supporting Logical Bluetooth extraction of the phonebook (Dated 5/9/2013).

Does Cellebrite have an expected release date for the new version which will hopefully support SMS and call logs?

Thanks,

 
Posted : 14/03/2014 10:01 pm
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