From device extraction to actionable intelligence: Connecting Cellebrite workflows with The Horizon® Platform

Digital investigations are not limited by access to data. They are limited by how quickly that data can be turned into insight.

Mobile extraction tools like Cellebrite play a critical role in helping investigators collect digital evidence from devices. A complete Cellebrite investigation workflow does not end with device extraction, it depends on how quickly investigators can turn extracted artifacts into broader intelligence, context and leads.

Cellebrite is widely used across law enforcement and public sector investigations to collect, review, analyze, and manage digital evidence from devices and other digital sources.

A typical extraction can include:

• Messages and chat histories
• Contacts and call logs
• Images and videos
• Device metadata
• Usernames, emails, and phone numbers

This data is essential, but it is also incomplete on its own. Investigators are often left asking:

• Are these identifiers used elsewhere?
• Are there additional accounts tied to this subject?
• Who else is connected beyond what appears on the device?

At this stage, the goal is to identify which data points are worth pursuing. That is where many investigations begin to slow down.

Use Case: Expanding a narcotics investigation

An investigator extracts a mobile device as part of a narcotics case. Within the extraction, they identify:

• A username used across messaging apps
• A phone number tied to multiple contacts
• References to transactions and locations

On the surface, this provides a snapshot of activity. But key questions remain unanswered.

Using The Horizon® Platform, the investigator can take those identifiers and start to see patterns, correlations and connections and then investigate them across a wide range of sources.

What this looks like in practice

Usernames

The investigator searches a recovered username across multiple sources to identify:

• Additional accounts on other platforms
• Variations of the same handle
• Public activity tied to the subject

Phone numbers and emails

Identifiers are pivoted to uncover:

• Associated accounts
• Related individuals
• Patterns of reuse across sources

Images and contextual clues

Artifacts from the extraction can be used to guide further investigation, helping to:

• Correlate locations
• Identify affiliated individuals
• Validate or challenge assumptions from the device data

This process transforms extracted data into something far more actionable.

Instead of reviewing a static dataset, the investigator is building a network of relationships and context that extends beyond the original device.

Device extraction provides a point-in-time view.

But subjects do not stop operating once a device is seized. They shift to new accounts, new devices, and new communication methods.

This is where monitoring becomes critical.

With The Horizon® Platform, investigators can continue to track identifiers, aliases and a suspect uncovered during extraction to:

• Detect new activity across sources
• Identify newly created or reactivated accounts
• Monitor changes in behavior over time

This ensures that the investigation does not lose momentum after the initial analysis phase.

Investigative teams are increasingly combining tools based on workflow needs rather than relying on a single platform to do everything.

Cellebrite is optimized for extracting and analyzing device data. ShadowDragon® supports what comes next.

By focusing on Identify, Investigate, and Monitor, The Horizon® Platform helps teams:

• Move from raw extracted data to prioritized investigative leads
• Expand the scope of investigations beyond a single device
• Continuously track subjects as new information emerges

This approach is especially valuable as investigative teams begin to adopt AI-assisted workflows. AI can help highlight additional context and potential areas for review, but investigative conclusions remain the responsibility of the analyst. The quality of any AI-assisted insight depends on the breadth and depth of available data. By enriching extracted data with external intelligence, investigators can improve both the speed and quality of their analysis.

As digital investigations evolve, the distinction between data collection and intelligence development is becoming more pronounced.

Tools that specialize in extraction will continue to play a critical role. But the ability to connect that data to a broader intelligence ecosystem is what enables investigators to:

• Ask better questions
• Surface hidden relationships
• Act quicker on emerging leads

The future of investigations is not about replacing existing tools. It is about connecting them in ways that reflect how investigators actually work.

• Identify the most relevant data
• Investigate it across a wider set of sources
• Monitor ongoing activity as cases evolve

By connecting extraction, enrichment, investigation, and monitoring, teams can turn a Cellebrite investigation workflow into a broader intelligence workflow that supports faster, more informed investigative action.