The Powerlogs database is absolutely massive with upwards of 600+ tables, each with its own purpose in life. Each table can be used for a variety of different cases. This database can sometimes be overlooked as it’s not in a device backup but can be easily extracted by a sysdisgnose dump of an Apple device; be it iPhone, Mac, TV, or even Vision Pros!
These logs are suppose to be privacy preserving as they are provided to Apple for bug reporting but what can we really determine about a user and their device as forensic analysts?
This database is full of useful information such as what the user has been up to, where they have traveled, what applications they have, state of the system, network information, and more!
Timestamps for each event can be shady. What may seem obvious at first is actually a unique “feature” of this database and critical for accuracy in forensic analysis. Without this accuracy, forensic cases and assumptions will fall.
