GLOSSARY

Deindexed Data

Deindexed data is data that has been “deleted” by the user, but still exists in the free space of a phone. When you delete data like a text message, the data moves to the memory of your device until it is eventually overwritten by other data. That data that has not yet been overwritten is considered deindexed and is accessible for digital forensics experts.

Primary Key

A primary key is a number used to identify a unique row of data within a table. Examples of tables that use primary keys may be text message logs, call logs, or general metadata.

File Hashing

A hash is the outcome of an algorithm used to fingerprint files. Any file can be put through this algorithm to create a unique hash for every individual file. Hashing can be used to compare two files to see if they are identical or if one has been altered.