Smart Meters are electrical power meters that record and send information about a home’s electrical consumption to an electric company. This information could be useful to digital forensic investigators because it may reveal the times and dates when residential electrical consumption was most active. With some analysis, investigators may be able to differentiate between appliances, such as an electrical oven, or hot water heater. These data can provide information for pattern of life analysis, as well as predictive analysis for future events.
Device Type: Home
Smart TVs
Smart TVs allow the user to browse the Internet, use applications, or simply watch live TV. For this reason, smart TVs can hold a multitude of forensic evidence that can be useful to an investigation. While the number of brands and the sophistication of technologies continue to grow in this emerging market, many data types are retrievable from most Smart TVs. For example, most models record the kinds of devices that have been connected to the smart TV,
Game consoles
In addition to playing video games and movies, these devices are stylized networked computers. They are internet-enabled, file storage systems that can store and process photos, music, home movies, or any other sort of electronic file. Note, however, that the data may be stored encrypted and require other techniques to access.
- Examples: Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation
- Technologies: wired and wireless network connectivity, hard drive, video and microphone (with Xbox Kinect)
- More information: http://sytech-consultants.com/useful-articles/games-console-forensics/
Personal Health Devices
These devices are designed to track an individual’s health and fitness information, such as heartrate, sleep patterns, and walking steps. In order to record this information, they contain accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS technologies, and are able to store up to 7 days of minute-by-minute data, or daily totals for up to 30 days (in the case of Fitbit). These devices can transfer the information wirelessly (via Bluetooth or wifi), to smartphone applications, or to one’s home computer.
GPS Trackers
These devices are small GPS sensors about the size of a large quarter. They are typically stored in, or attached to, personal items in order to locate them if lost. The devices are tracked using smartphone apps, and can communicate using bluetooth (for close-range communication) or GPS signals. They also use crowdsourced GPS techniques in order to determine and relay the location of an item to its owner. This means that while you may not be able to locate your item,
Personal assistants
These devices are voice-activated and are used to play music, provide news, weather and traffic reports by wirelessly (wifi and bluetooth) connecting to Amazon’s cloud services (i.e. Alexa). The voice recognition works in a similar manner to iPhone’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. Because the device is voice activated, it is always powered and its microphones are always listening for commands. Echo can also connect and manage lights and electrical outlets from other vendors including WeMo,
Baby monitors
In addition to simple video and audio monitors, manufacturers are producing an assortment of bio-sensor devices that monitor a baby’s movements, temperature, and sleep patterns insider her crib and room. The data are viewed on smartphone applications and some information may be collected and stored by the device manufacturers on their cloud servers.
- Examples: Mimo, Sensible Baby, Owlet
- Technologies: temperature, heartrate, and movement sensors, audio and video recording
- More information: See http://blog.thethings.io/first-time-mothers-troubles-solved-iot/
Home security systems
These security systems record entry and exit, locking and unlocking of exterior doors (and perhaps garage). They are able to monitor and alert when windows or doors are open. The cameras can often store up to 24 hours of internal or external video either locally or in the vendor’s cloud network. Smart security systems are also often paired and integrated with home automation systems. The cameras can also be managed remotely from smartphones, and used to alert users of activity,
Home automation
These electronic systems integrate with electrical outlets, appliances, and heating and cooling systems in order to help manage one’s home ambient lighting and temperature. The devices are controlled using smartphone or web based applications, which may be accessible over the public internet. Many of these technologies also integrate with, and can be managed through, the Apple HomeKit iPhone application.
- Examples: Belkin, WeMo, Philips Hue, SmartThings, Insteon, Wink
- Technologies: wifi, 3/4G,
Event data recorder
An Event data recorders (EDR, or black box) is an electronic sensor that records specific characteristics of an automobile moments before and during a collision. As of 2014, they can be found on 90% of all new cars and light trucks. For those with EDR installed, NHTSA requires a minimum of 15 data points to be recorded by all EDR (including speed, steering, braking, acceleration, seatbelt use, and force of impact (of a crash) and whether airbags deployed),
