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Know Cellebrite UFED [Universal Forensic Extraction Device]

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Published By Stephen Mag
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Published On July 4th, 2025
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Reading Time 5 Min Read

Professionals use a tool called Cellebrite UFED to recover data from locked or encrypted tablets and smartphones. It can be used by investigators as a digital “key” to access phones and recover deleted files, call logs, text messages, and other important data.

Cellebrite UFED Device Overview

Let’s discuss the Cellebrite UFED device overview and gain complete knowledge and working. (Universal Forensic Extraction Device) UFED’s tremendous strength lies in the fact that it works with almost every phone, including Android, iPhone, and almost every other phone. Working with several devices is made much easier by its capacity to unlock and recover data.

There are several ways to get the data from the Cellebrite UFED Device, depending on how locked down the device is. It can obtain data from the operating system of a phone, delve deeper to recover hidden files, or even access the file system to find things that aren’t frequently apparent. Encryption or a strong password won’t always keep UFED from unlocking the phone and getting the data.

Understanding of Cellebrite UFED Benefits

Best things about Cellebrite UFED Device is that it can access data from cloud services like iCloud and Google Drive. The reason for this is that sometimes people delete data from their phones. But they might still be on the cloud. Because it can also retrieve the backup data, UFED is an excellent tool for assembling the puzzle.

Even though UFED has a lot of sophisticated features, experts can utilize it easily. Investigators without IT expertise may be able to obtain the data they need due to its user-friendly design. UFED 4 PC is a version that is compatible with computers. It offers even more options for extracting data from devices.

As mobile security improves, UFED—one of the most dependable methods for recovering data from locked or encrypted devices and supporting the conclusion of investigations— continues to evolve.

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Available Extraction Types in UFED Tool

  1. Logical Extraction: This allows for the extraction of different kinds of data. Call logs, phonebook entries, SMS text messages, MMS, emails, calendar events, and multimedia assets (such as images, videos, and archives) are all included in this.
  2. Sim Data Extraction: This technique allows data to be extracted from a SIM or USIM card.
  3. File System Extraction: This allows the memory of the source mobile device to be fully extracted.
  4. Password Extraction: This feature makes it possible to retrieve and show passwords from a mobile device immediately on the password-obtained panel.
  5. Clone Sim: This feature allows a UFED SIM ID Access Card to copy a SIM ID from one SIM card to another.
  6. Physical Extraction: It employs sophisticated techniques to retrieve a bit-by-bit image of the flash memory or mobile device, including unallocated space. Text messages, call logs, phonebook entries, and image, music, and video files may be deleted and stored in unallocated space.
  7. Take pictures and screen grabs: The UFED camera is used to capture images or movies of a device. Additionally, internal screenshots can be taken straight from the linked device.

Types of Action in UFED

One feature that actually simplifies the process into a single step is Smart Flow.

  1. Smart Flow: By automating the process, Smart Flow removes the element of guesswork. When the users select smart flow and connect the device, it simplifies the whole operation. Furthermore, Smart Flow provides a new generic capability that is exclusive to the Smart Flow, which simplifies the process of extracting even more unlocked Android devices. What sets UFED 7.60’s Smart Flow apart?
    Currently, the newer version of smart flow supports a wide variety of mobile devices. Furthermore, it will work with phones that the “Live” methods haven’t worked with before.
  2. Auto-detect: The type of mobile device connected to the system is automatically identified by this capability. With this capability, the forensic data extraction process will be streamlined without the user having to manually enter the device’s make, model, and available extraction techniques. It will choose the required tools or protocols for the extraction automatically (e.g., ADB for Android devices, Lightning connector for iPhones, etc.).
  3. Device Search: With Cellebrite UFED’s extensive device support library, customers can easily locate certain devices by using the Search tool.
  4. Device Wizard: It ensures smooth and accurate forensic extraction, especially when the user is not familiar with a wide variety of devices and extraction methods that are supported by Cellebrite UFED device.

For creating backup of external drive using UFED 4Pc, you have to follow following steps:

  1. Attach the device to the system which is having UFED4Pc
  2. Launch UFED 4PC and select mobile device
  3. If you are using android device, then select smart flow
  4. If you are using iPhone, then go for auto detect
  5. Connect the mobile to UFED 4pc and then you have to select full file system. If you want a full phone backup
  6. The data will be scanned and extracted initially
  7. Wait for the completion of process of data extraction
  8. After completion of Process, it is going to show Finish option, and after clicking on it. You will have file system folder in your destination folder