WeChat is one of the world’s most successful apps ever. If you’re a digital forensics examiner, the
chances are that you’ve heard of it and probably even worked with it. The app is so successful that it is
often referred to as a “Super-App”.
This article will briefly provide some details about WeChat itself:
- the number of people who use WeChat;
- the reasons why WeChat is so popular in China and within Asian communities around the world;
- the features of the WeChat app; and
- the way in which WeChat data is encrypted and transmitted.
We will then discuss the nature of the evidence itself and share our experience with who engages a
private digital forensics expert to extract the evidence and to what use it is commonly put:
- common sources of evidence include:
- in-app communication, such as text messages, voice messages, images and videos;
- currency transactions;
- business transactions;
- gift exchanges designed to accommodate Asian cultural celebrations;
- examination of this evidence is frequently requested from members of the public and the legal
community involving disputes such as:
- transactions and contractual obligations that have not been honoured;
- family law disputes;
- employment law (i.e., workplace) disputes; and
- criminal charges
Finally, this article will discuss some of the challenges experienced by digital forensics examiners when
extracting, analyzing and reporting on matters involving WeChat evidence.
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