If data is secure and self-destructing, did it ever even exist? Ignore the claims of data retention and hunt for that data, as these apps often make claims that are simply untrue. Although applications are designed with security in mind, updates are released quickly and quality assurance checks may not be strong enough to catch everything. On occasion, you will find an app with an encrypted or non-existent database, but the file includes a journal, write-ahead logs, or shared memory files that contain portions of chats that were supposed to be encrypted. In addition to this, the user can save media files that are shared, take screenshots of conversations, and do much more. Often, you may uncover the images, audio, and video files that were shared and supposed to be encrypted.

Some popular secure messaging applications include Telegram, Wickr, and Signal. Some of these are encrypted, where nothing is recoverable. However, this all depends on the device, the OS running on the smartphone, and the version of the app. The security level of these apps is publicly advertised, but again, take this with a grain of salt. You should always assume that there could be a vulnerability in the app that may provide you with access forensically. Dig for this evidence!