Unlocking Digital Evidence Utilizing Save Wizard for PS4 in Forensic Analysis

The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is one of the most popular gaming consoles and an increasingly valuable source of digital evidence in forensic investigations. As digital technologies become increasingly integrated into everyday life, the PS4 has emerged into an important information source in forensic science investigations. This paper explores a forensic acquisition approach using Save Wizard, a consumer-grade PS4 game save editor, to bypass encryption and access saved game data. Through structured experimentation, we demonstrate that Save Wizard combined with tools such as hex editors and forensic analysis platforms like Autopsy enables forensic examiners to extract meaningful artifacts including user activity logs, gaming history, chat communications, network connections, user profiles, and metadata. Key findings show that despite challenges posed by encryption, privacy regulations, and proprietary file systems, tools like Save Wizard and custom scripts can play a pivotal role in data retrieval. This work underlines the importance of scrutinizing gaming consoles in modern digital forensic investigations and how forensic examiners can utilize them to bring forth meaningful insights to investigations related to criminal or civil litigation.