It’s Friday again. I’m working through the final to-do’s for my thesis. The end is near, which means long days, plenty of words on paper, and just as many being scrapped again.

So, let’s dive into today’s topic: the standard applications on iOS.

Why didn’t I choose any other applications?

Well, third-party apps can decide what they log in the AUL. With every update, the artefacts may change. That’s why I chose these standard apps, hoping Apple keeps their AUL artifacts consistent.

So let’s dive in!

Phone Application:

Artefact – User interaction: tap on the Phone icon

2025-03-09 14:52:02.178784+0100  localhost SpringBoard[34]: (SpringBoardHome) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Icon] Allowing tap for icon view 'com.apple.mobilephone'

Timestamp: 2025-03-09 14:52:02.178784

Process: SpringBoard

SpringBoard manages the home screen, app launches, and interaction with app icons.

Subsystem: SpringBoardHome

Part of SpringBoard specifically responsible for the home screen and icon display.

EventMessage: (SpringBoardHome) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Icon] Allowing tap for icon view ‘com.apple.mobilephone’

The system allows a tap on the Phone app icon (com.apple.mobilephone). This is a pre-validation of user input.

Artefact – Physical tap registered on app icon

2025-03-09 14:52:02.180390+0100  localhost SpringBoard[34]: (SpringBoardHome) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Icon] Icon tapped: <private>Process: SpringBoard

Timestamp: 2025-03-09 14:52:02.180390

Process: SpringBoard

SpringBoard registers the user’s action on the home screen.

Subsystem: SpringBoardHome

Handles the actual tapping of icons.

EventMessage: (SpringBoardHome) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Icon] Icon tapped:

The user physically tapped an app icon. Although the exact icon is anonymized (), it logically aligns with the previously allowed tap on the Phone app 

Artefact – App activation: Phone app launch from home screen

2025-03-09 14:52:02.181496+0100  localhost SpringBoard[34]: (SpringBoard) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Common] Executing request: <SBMainWorkspaceTransitionRequest: 0x30105c280; eventLabel: SBUIApplicationIconLaunchEventLabel; display: Main; source: HomeScreen>Artefact – App activation: Phone app launch from home screen

Timestamp: 2025-03-09 14:52:02.181496

Process: SpringBoard

SpringBoard handles app activations triggered by user interaction.

Subsystem: Common

Includes generic components of SpringBoard responsible for transitions between apps.

EventMessage: (SpringBoard) [com.apple.SpringBoard:Common] Executing request: <SBMainWorkspaceTransitionRequest: … source: HomeScreen>

SpringBoard executes a transition to open a new app from the home screen. This marks the beginning of the Phone app launch.

More to come soon: Mail and Camera.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.