Some people love iPhone and some don't. This new generation brand war or software debate is pretty similar to the close soda fight of decades that is, Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi. The fight is between the hardcore loyal consumers of each of the brand, who are constantly enraged in order to make the other feel invaluable in front of the other.
- Building Apps for iMessage. Get the latest version of Xcode, which includes the iOS SDK and the tools you need to build, test, and submit your app to the App Store for iMessage. Learn about the Messages framework. Find technical details on the Messages framework, which you’ll use to create sticker packs and iMessage apps. Check the Guidelines.
- Google’s released more messaging apps that I can remember (Allo, Android Messages, Messenger, Hangouts, Gchat, the list goes on), but the company’s never been able to come up with a single.
Media Explorer for iMessage - Find Hidden iMessage files on your Mac SketchKey Keyboard - Drawing keyboard for iOS Urly - URL Recognition app for iOS Websites. RISE London - Responsive custom website for a London based architecture company.
However, then there are some neutral consumers that might be flexible towards both. We address such neutral customers to try out iMessage on their Windows computers. It's easy, it's efficient and it is definitely high-tech. The article shows how to get iMessage on PC.
1 Use Chrome Remote Desktop
Step 1. You should have a Mac with iMessage and a Windows PC, to start off with.
Step 2. Next, you need to download Chrome and Chrome Remote Desktop on both of your computers.
Step 3. When the installation process of the application is completed, click to launch.
Step 4. Download Chrome Remote Desktop Host Installer separately just on the Mac computer.
Step 5. After the completion of the download, install it the same.
Step 6. Chrome Remote Desktop allows access to another computer's apps and files securely via the Chrome browser or Chrome book. So connect the two computers through the security code and enjoy the iMessage on your Windows PC.
2 Jailbreak your iPhone
There is one more method through which you can get iMessage for windows. Though a little complicated, it is useful.
In the beginning, you need to jailbreak your Apple device by installing the software called Cydia. Cydia is a directory of applications that become usable because of your jail broken iOS device.
Imessage For Web
Next, you will spend $4 to get an app called Remote Messages in Cydia to set up a web based interface. You will be able to connect to this web based interface using your iPhone's IP address found on the browser, following ':333'.
Although the steps may sound complicated and the software might not work for the latest iOS version - iOS 12, the app explains everything to you and it becomes easy for lots of users to remotely access iMessages from Windows computer.
3 Use a Free Emulator
Step 1. Visit ipadian2.com and download the free emulator available there.
Step 2. Then install the file with extension .exe on your PC.
Step 3. Run the emulator.
Step 4. Continue by accepting the terms and conditions.
Step 5. After the successful completion of the installation process, launch the iPadian software on your PC.
Step 6. Search for iMessage in the search bar.
Step 7. Lastly, download the Apple messenger app and launch it.
Then you can access iMessage on PC!
4 Access iMessages History on Windows Computer
Although you can try out the above mentioned ways and get iMessage app for Windows, there is just one more way you should consider – to get your iMessage history from iPhone to Windows computer by a 3rd-party tool. Via this best and the least hassling way you can get your chat history on Apple's famous messenger app. Here we recommend iMyFone iTransor Lite iPhone Data Exporter to you so that you can view and access iMessages on PC.
iMyFone iTransor Lite iPhone Data Exporter (iOS 12 Supported)
- It transfers both textual and media content, such as messages, photos, videos and audio in conversations from iPhone to computer.
- It allows you to preview data before transfer so that you can choose what you really need.
- It can view and export iTunes/iCloud backup which is unreadable for you before.
- Export 20 types of files, including WhatsApp, Kik, notes, voice memo and more.
The following is the specific procedure to transfer your iMessages from iOS devices, such as iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running iOS 12 to Windows computer. All you need is just several clicks.
Step 1. Choose the File Types You Need to Export
- Download and install iMyFone iTransor Lite on your Windows computer, then launch it.
- From 'Export from iOS Device' tab, click 'Start' to choose file types you need to export, for example, Message, and click on 'Next'.
- iMyFone iTransor Lite will ask you to connect your iOS device to the computer and just follow its prompt.
Step 2: Scan your iOS Device Completely
- Connect your device and click the 'Scan' button. iMyFone iTransor Lite will scan your device.
- Generally, it will need some time depending on the storage of your iOS device.
Steps 3: Preview and Export Data from iOS Device
- After scanning, the iMessages on the device will be displayed.
- You can check the files by clicking them individually and choose the desired files.
- Finally, click on the 'Export' button in the bottom right corner.
- A pop-up window will ask you to locate where you want to store the iMessages on your computer.
Thus in conclusion checkout any of the four ways and use iMessages on windows. The iMyFone iTransor Lite iPhone Data Exporter (compatible with iOS 12) offers a FREE trial that you can check out and see if it works for you which it surely will!
Category: «Clouds», «Elcomsoft News», «Mobile», «Tips & Tricks»
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Instant messaging apps have become the de-facto standard of real-time, text-based communications. The acquisition of instant messaging chats and communication histories can be extremely important for an investigation. In this article, we compare the five top instant messaging apps for iOS in the context of their forensic analysis. Mac office for mac home and student 2011.
Acquisition and Extraction
Speaking of iOS, there are several methods to acquiring communications going through an instant messaging app. The MITM (man-in-the-middle) attack is practically out of the question for most modern instant messaging apps; if there are exceptions, we aren’t aware of those. Even on Android devices, a MITM attack would require installing a third-party SSL certificate, and even that may not work for some instant messengers.
The ability to obtain communication histories from the vendor is a great tool in the hands of the law enforcement. The policies of different vendors vary greatly from near-instant full disclosure to flat non-disclosure with stops in between. We’ll discuss it in detail for each of the messaging apps.
Cloud extraction may be possible from several sources, which include iCloud synchronized data (including end-to-end encrypted data), iCloud backups and stand-alone backups in iCloud Drive. It’s up to the vendor to decide where and how to store the data; more on that later.
Finally, the data can be extracted from the iPhone device itself. For some messaging apps, logical extraction via iTunes-style backups is enough, while some other messengers don’t store anything in local backups. Imaging the file system (and, in some cases, decrypting the keychain) is always enough to gain full access to conversation histories.
Media Explorer For Imessage Free
So let us see the different extraction options available for the five top instant messaging apps for iOS.
iMessage
iMessage is preinstalled on every iPhone and iPad. Being a pre-installed app, iMessage benefits from the huge user base of the entire Apple ecosystem. Based on the information shared by Apple, iMessage is estimated to have about 1.6 billion active users worldwide, which is largely be based on the number of iPhone users. Back in 2016, the service handled some 200,000 iMessages per second.
- Legal requests: This is a bit tricky. While Apple does maintain the history of iMessage conversations on its servers, the data is protected with what Apple refers to as “end-to-end encryption”. In the end, Apple does not release iMessages when serving government requests.
- Vendor cloud: Apple keeps a copy of iMessage conversations in iCloud. The data is encrypted with a key protected with the user’s screen lock passcode or system password. While it is possible to obtain iMessages from iCloud, one will need the complete set of authentication credentials including the user’s Apple ID and password; second authentication factor; and screen lock passcode or system password of one of the user’s devices.
- Local backups: iMessages are always available in local backups. Logical acquisition allows extracting the messages.
- iCloud backups: Apple only stores iMessages in iCloud backups if syncing (iCloud Messages) is not enabled.
- iCloud Drive: n/a.
- File system: iMessage does not feature any additional protection to the working database. Once a file system image is captured from the iPhone, extracting and analyzing iMessage conversations is straightforward.
iMessage Verdict
The acquisition of the user’s iMessage communications is possible but tricky because of the multiple ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. iMessage conversations can be extracted from multiple sources, the exact list of which, however, depends on the user’s configuration.
Apple Imessage For Windows
Tools required: Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit (file system) or Elcomsoft Phone Breaker (iCloud, iCloud backups, iTunes backups); Elcomsoft Phone Viewer (viewing and analyzing).
Walkthrough: Messages in iCloud: How to Extract Full Content Including Media Files, Locations and Documents, iMessage Security, Encryption and Attachments.
With more than 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) instant messengers worldwide. While WhatsApp communication is based on the Signal protocol employing end-to-end encryption, that fact alone does not make WhatsApp any more secure than other messaging apps as WhatsApp keeps a backup of its conversation histories, making them easily accessible with several acquisition techniques.
- Legal requests: WhatsApp does not store conversation histories on its servers. As a result, only pending (undelivered) messages can be obtained with a legal request.
- Vendor cloud: Facebook does not keep WhatsApp conversations on its servers, and cloud acquisition is not generally possible with one exception. Undelivered (pending) messages are still stored on the server, and can be downloaded with forensic software by authenticating as a new WhatsApp client.
- Local backups: More often than not, WhatsApp communication histories show up in both local and cloud iOS backups (there are exceptions).
- iCloud backups: Same as above. More often than not, WhatsApp conversation histories can be extracted from iCloud backups.
- iCloud Drive: WhatsApp has an option to save stand-alone, proprietary backups in iCloud Drive. While these backups can be easily downloaded, they are protected with end-to-end encryption. As a result, one must authenticate as a WhatsApp client in order to decrypt the backup (e.g. using Elcomsoft Explorer for WhatsApp). This requires access to the user’s registered WhatsApp number.
- File system: WhatsApp does not feature any additional protection to the working database. Once a file system image is captured from the iPhone, extracting and analyzing WhatsApp conversations is straightforward.
WhatsApp Verdict
The acquisition of the user’s WhatsApp communications is easier than average. WhatsApp conversations can be extracted from nearly every available source including local and cloud backups.
Tools required: Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit and Elcomsoft Phone Viewer; or Elcomsoft Explorer for WhatsApp.
Walkthrough: Extract and Decrypt WhatsApp Backups from iCloud.
Telegram
Telegram offers one of the most advanced cross-platform messaging experiences in the world of instant messengers. Offering apps for nearly every platform imaginable, Telegram can be used on multiple mobile devices and desktop computers. Unlike the strictly single-client WhatsApp, Telegram users can sign in on multiple devices at the same time. In 2018, Telegram reached 200 million monthly active users with nearly 300 million messages delivered daily.
Telegram uses a cloud service to deliver, store and synchronize messages. The service offers privacy conscious users the option to chat privately with the option called ‘secret chats’. Secret chats, unlike regular conversations, are never stored on Telegram servers.
- Legal requests: Telegram keeps a comprehensive history of the user’s regular (non-secret) chats on its servers. Regular and group chats can be obtained with a legal request depending on jurisdiction. Secret chats are never stored and cannot be obtained with a legal request. Telegram is notable for ignoring legal requests in some jurisdictions, which had led the service banned in several countries.
- Vendor cloud: As mentioned above, Telegram keeps the history on its own servers. By authenticating as a user, one can retrieve those communications (except secret chats) from Telegram servers.
- Local backups: Telegram does not store conversations in local backups. Instead, conversation histories are synchronized using Telegram’s own cloud service.
- iCloud backups: Same as above. Telegram does not store conversation histories in iCloud backups.
- iCloud Drive: There are no stand-alone backups in iCloud Drive.
- File system: Telegram does not feature any additional protection to the working database. Once a file system image is captured from the iPhone, extracting and analyzing Telegram conversations including secret chats and attachments is trivial.
Telegram Verdict
We consider the complexity of Telegram acquisition to be about average. Telegram conversations (including secret chats) can be extracted from iOS file system images. Regular chats can be obtained with a legal request from Telegram, although the company can be picky about those at least in some jurisdictions.
Tools required: Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit (to extract the file system); Elcomsoft Phone Viewer (to analyze the Telegram database).
Walkthrough: How To Extract Telegram Secret Chats from the iPhone
Signal
Judging by sheer numbers, Signal does not appear to be popular or widespread. However, this instant messenger was developed and marketed as the tool offering the ultimate privacy and security of communications. Barely reaching half a million users, Signal had already become the de-facto communication choice by those who have something to hide.
Signal implements a highly secure communication protocol employing end-to-end encryption. Unlike WhatsApp, which is based on the same protocol, Signal’s implementation is a lot more secure. Signal encrypts messages in transit and does not store conversation histories on its servers. Moreover, Signal encrypts its working databases, making acquisition difficult even if one has access to the physical device.
- Legal requests: Signal does not keep communication histories its servers. Since there is nothing to request, Signal conversations cannot be obtained with legal requests.
- Vendor cloud: Signal does not keep conversations on its servers. Cloud acquisition is not possible.
- Local backups: Signal does not store conversations in local (iTunes) backups.
- iCloud backups: Same as above. Signal does not store conversation histories in iCloud backups.
- iCloud Drive: No stand-alone backups in iCloud Drive.
- File system: Signal database is encrypted. The encryption key is stored in the keychain with the highest protection class. Extracting and decrypting the keychain (e.g. with Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit) is required in order to decrypt the Signal database.
Signal Verdict
Signal is one of the more difficult messengers to acquire. The only way to extract Signal conversations requires extracting the file system images and decrypting the keychain. Logical, cloud and legal requests are useless.
Tools required: Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit (to extract the file system and decrypt the keychain); Elcomsoft Phone Viewer (to decrypt and analyze the Signal database).
Walkthrough: How to Extract and Decrypt Signal Conversation History from the iPhone
Imessage For Windows
Skype
Skype is one of the oldest instant messaging apps around. The Microsoft owned instant messaging service has apps for most popular platforms. In March 2020, Skype is used by 100 million people on a monthly basis. Some 40 million people use it daily. Microsoft retains Skype conversation histories on its servers. Offering no ‘private’ or ‘secret’ communication options and readily cooperating with local governments, Microsoft delivers the most law enforcement friendly service of them all.
- Legal requests: Microsoft keeps a comprehensive history of the user’s Skype conversations on its servers. Microsoft readily cooperates with the law enforcement, allowing to obtain Skype communications via legal requests.
- Vendor cloud: Microsoft keeps Skype conversations on its servers. Experts can download Skype histories by signing in to the user’s Microsoft Account.
- Local backups: Skype no longer keeps conversations in local backups. Instead, conversation histories are synchronized via the user’s Microsoft Account.
- iCloud backups: Same as above. Microsoft does not store conversation histories in iCloud backups.
- iCloud Drive: There are no stand-alone Skype backups in iCloud Drive.
- File system: Skype does not feature any additional protection to the working database. Once a file system image is captured from the iPhone, extracting and analyzing Skype conversations is a breeze.
Skype Verdict
We consider the complexity of Skype acquisition to be about average. Skype does not have ‘secret’ chats, nor does it use end-to-end encryption of its database. Skype conversations can be extracted from iOS file system images. Microsoft readily cooperates with the law enforcement, allowing to obtain Skype communications via legal requests. In addition, Skype communications can be extracted from the cloud by authenticating as a user.
Tools required: Elcomsoft Phone Breaker (Microsoft Account); Elcomsoft Phone Viewer (to view the data).
Walkthrough: Extracting Skype Histories and Deleted Files Metadata from Microsoft Account
Conclusion
There are many more instant messengers around than we can deal in a single article. Line, Viber, QQ, WeChat, Facebook Messenger and many more other messaging apps are available for various platforms. We’ll continue our research, gradually adding support for additional communication tools.
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