My understanding of the iPhone is that if the user is on an iPhone contract, the voice mail is downloaded to the handset from the network at the time it is left and manifests itself thereon as an .amr file. In other circumstances, the voice mail remains stored at the network provider as typical with all other handsets.
Yeah - it's a fascillity that the service provider actually has to provide to the user, which is why people using an iPhone unlocked on another network don't tend to get it.
iPhone unlocked on another network don't tend to get it.
Good point AlexC and useful observations.
So for an unlocked iPhone, using the current unlocking software, isn't that an evidential issue for examiners potentially due to tampering with evidence?
What is more, what if the SIM user moves to say O2 (and the operator offers the download voicemail service you have been describing) but after unlocking iPhone doesn't allow for download voicemail anymore? Isn't there an evidential issue to be considered there?
(a) hasn't the iPhone profile changes?
(b) is it the case that the examiner is now responsible for tampering wth evidence when unlocking?
Are you talking about an examiner Jailbreaking the device in order to extract data?
Are you talking about an examiner Jailbreaking the device in order to extract data?
AlexC I think your comments suggest to me you have got it about right. Your response on this thread opens up the need to consider the whole process to fully understand what happens when jailbreaking
a) a jailbroken iPhone prior to seizure
b) a jailbroken iPhone before examination
c) a jailbroken iPhone after examination
PS btw good to meet you at MTEB conference and apologies I didn't say that earlier.
Purely in terms of what we're talking about here with voicemails we should all be aware that "Jailbreaking" and "Unlocking" are two different things. I can't see a reason for an examiner to actually Unlock an iPhone.
But yes, in general terms it should be better disclosed what is happening when you jailbreak (if you jailbreak!)
What do you do if you jailbreak from its associated 'tied' profile, are you not unlocking in the sense to download and examine or are you referring to unlocking merely in terms of allowing any network's SIM card?
I forgot to add where my understanding that unlock was relevant arose - the Register of Copyrights Ruling
With respect to that 2006 exemption, the Register of Copyrights found on the record submitted that “there does not appear to be any concern about protecting access to the copyrighted work itself. The purpose of the software lock [my emphasis] appears to be limited to restricting the owner’s use of the mobile handset to support a business model, rather than to protect access to a copyrighted work itself.”59
59 Recommendation of the Register of Copyrights in RM 2005-11; Rulemaking on Exemptions from Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, Nov. 17, 2006, pp. 50-51, available at <
We may have a job coming in that requires the need for extracting voicemail from an iPhone. The client has seen the message and requires it to be extracted from the phone.
Anyone sucessfully done this before? I'm guessing the device has to be jailbroken for the voicemail to be extracted?
Chris we have successfully done this before. Typically you are able to recover the voicemail files during a normal logical extraction. But we can also image the device without using tools such as blackra1n.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
Chris we have successfully done this before. Typically you are able to recover the voicemail files during a normal logical extraction. But we can also image the device without using tools such as blackra1n.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
I have contacted Cellebrite and their UFED machine doesn't extract voicemails, I am guessing this is because we only have it set up for logical extraction so I'm interested to see how you have done this?
What format are they saved in?