ExponentTM
API ForensicsTM is proud to announce the launch of ExponentTM: industry’s #1 choice of DFIR add-on X-Tensions for X-Ways Forensics (XWF).
ExponentTM is a powerful collection of X-Tensions designed exclusively for use within X-Ways Forensics to extend and simplify forensic discovery and reporting capabilities.
A Different Approach to Desktop and Mobile Forensic Examinations
The idea behind this new platform originated from countless frustrations by examiners having to use one tool to investigate computers and notebooks….and another tool to investigate mobile devices. One of the biggest issues for practitioners facing this dilemma is having to run the same keyword search multiple times: once for each tool. In addition, different vendor products approach the investigative process quite differently, thereby compounding the frustrations.
Using different tools for different devices doubles the time required to finish a case because there’s no interoperability or ways to consolidate evidence under just one tool. It’s difficult and sometimes impossible to aggregate data in these situations because different tools process, interpret and report differently. Having studied and experienced these pain points first hand, a new approach was realized involving X-Ways Forensics.
Why X-Ways Forensics?
It is commonplace today for forensic practitioning agencies to adopt one particular tool for computer and hard drive analysis, and another tool for mobile devices. While some private sector interests are striving to do it all with just one tool, those solutions might be seen as unecessarily over-featured and not reasonably priced for smaller forensic entities. To the contrary however, the choice combination or pairing of some specific tools may offer practitioners exceptional performance at a much more palatable price point.
X-Ways Forensics is unarguably in the top tier of tools recognized worldwide for its power, accuracy and speed in processing computers, hard drives, RAIDs, enterprise email, and other removable media (to name just a few). Forensic investigators using X-Ways Forensics opt to round out their toolbox by acquiring one additional tool to specifically examine mobile devices.
X-Ways Forensics has long been our #1 tool, used in-house and highly recommended for digital forensics investigations for years, simply because of it’s unrivaled speed, features and power! It’s a well engineered piece of software and so we wanted to build onto something that was already a rock solid tool.
There is an inescapably painful truth about forensic tool compartmentalization and lack of interoperability which force examiners to treat their evidence the same way. One examination, using one specific tool, for one specific device type – at a time!
Unfortunately, the practice of buying device-or-platform-specific tools is a necessary evil, despite its wastefulness in time and energy in having to repeat tasks using different software products. Thankfully, by incorporating ExponentTM into the forensic investigative process, certain critical and commonly examined data can finally be aggregated into the XWF platform to do things better and faster.
At API ForensicsTM, the development team realized a truly innovative approach to aggregating these two worlds once and for all, thereby streamlining investigations and centralizing evidence. ExponentTM embraces this strategy through smartly designed X-Ways Forensics X-Tensions that enhance the collection, analysis, translation, transformation, reporting and visualization of electronic evidence. It is a powerful library of tools that is slated for continual on-going development to help examiners maximize their results and save valuable time.
What’s in the Box?
ExponentTM is being initially released with the following three (3) add-ons completed so far, and more to come: Exponent CloudMailTM, Exponent MobileMessagingTM and Exponent MobileMediaTM. The next X-Tension being planned for release at the start of 2024 is Exponent FacialRecognitionTM. Each one of these add-ons operate independently within X-Ways Forensics and have a similar look and feel.
The intent in the design and workflow behind each add-on was to give forensic examiners a comfortable experience by ensuring a common, cross-platform styling and approach to navigating the interface and software execution.
According to API Forensics,
Exponent is all about extending the features, functionalities and capabilities of X-Ways Forensics so that forensic practitioners don’t have to keep switching between different tools: one for desktop, one for mobile devices and a handful of other smaller niche tools. We know that examiners will always need to have more than one tool in their toolbox. It has long been a practice to have similar tools on-hand for purposes of validation and comparison of results.
One of our primary objectives is to bring evidence from mobile devices, acquired through 3rd party tools, into X-Ways Forensics. This allows examiners to aggregate their disparate data into a single, robust platform that has been tried and tested for many years. This approach streamlines the analysis process by reconciling differently sourced data into one common interface.
I’m not saying that this combination of tools will replace mobile device forensics. Quite the contrary! I simply believe that examiners will appreciate using one particular tool to do the heavier lifting without giving up their mobile forensic tool of choice.
This is especially applicable when it comes to extensive searching, analysis, interpretation, translation, decoding, extraction, linkage and reporting of data.
We anticipate that forensic teams will contemplate the value-added when they couple our ExponentTM library add-on with X-Ways Forensics, in conjunction with a 3rd party mobile device forensic tool, that is also supported by Exponent. We see this as a great combination for completeness and cost effective use of budget dollars.
To be clear, we’re not just focused on mobile artifacts. We have a long list of things that we’re looking to throw into our software. ExponentTM will be extended to include analytics, visualization and reporting features, in addition to real-time online investigation capabilities and cyber security functionalities.
We are also definitely looking into making our software a contender to replace those smaller niche tools that are used for specific artifacts. All of this while still using X-Ways Forensics!
We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what we have planned and we’re super excited!
– John Bradley
Founder & CEO
Exponent 1.1
With this latest release, new support has been added to Exponent’s MobileMessagingTM and MobileMediaTM X-Tensions to support artifacts acquired by MSAB’s XRY/XAMN mobile forensic platform. This is a significant enhancement to the ExponentTM library as it delivers on the much anticipated development strategy to embrace external mobile device evidence.
Starting with ExponentTM Version 1.1, forensic practitioners no longer have to examine endpoint devices using one forensic tool and then mobile devices using a different tool. When it comes to select artifacts, namely text messages and media files such as pictures and videos, investigators can now leverage the power and robustness of X-Ways Forensics to charge through the evidence using just one platform.
Download Your Free Trial
Get started today and realize the full potential of ExponentTM in your X-Ways Forensics investigations. Simply fill out the download request form and we’ll send you a 30-day trial license by email.
If you do not currently have a valid license for X-Ways Forensics, click here to get more information.
