Virtual Phones

The most effective way to present a complete online virtual persona is to replicate the behavior of a real user, which often includes using apps on a mobile device. Alias’s Virtual Phones are specifically designed to achieve this, offering a virtual phone device paired to the same internet connection as the virtual desktop. This ensures your digital personas engage with the world just as a real individual would, making your operations both authentic and credible.

two cellphones

Why Virtual Phones Matter

In a modern digital persona, a mobile device is often the missing piece. It’s where apps, SMS, calls, camera, messaging and phone-based connectivity all come together. Our Virtual Phones bring that full mobile layer into the Alias platform, enabling your sockpuppet to act, connect, and appear exactly like a real user.

What You Get

  • End-to-End Mobile Identity

    Provision Android devices that include realistic device metadata (GPS, OS version, screen size, language/locale, fonts, resolution) and mobile connectivity connectivity. These are linked to the same network and attribution stack as the rest of the Alias identity—eliminating siloed personas or inconsistent behavior.

  • Seamless Integration with Persona Environments

    Each virtual phone is directly attributed to the corresponding virtual desktop and SMS number within Alias. This means your persona has one cohesive digital footprint, from mobile app registration to web-session continuity, reducing risk of cross-contamination or attribution leakage.

  • Advanced Real-World Device Features

    Use device passthrough (camera, mic, audio, video) to simulate real device behavior: install apps, join video calls, capture evidence or perform live investigations. Our virtual phones are built not just for access, but for operational fidelity.

two cellphones with network connectivity graphics
  • Integrated Into Team Operations

    No more passing around burner phones or maintaining stacks of devices. Analysts can securely access and share the same virtual phone from the web or their own personal cellphones, without exposing personal hardware or mixing environments.

  • Secure File & Evidence Handling

    Transfer files into the virtual phone environment while maintaining segmentation from your host environment. Screenshots, recordings, and session logs are preserved under chain-of-custody controls — so mobile activity becomes legitimate, reportable evidence.

  • Access

    Create gold-standard “phone” templates for your investigations: pre-configured OS, network region, language settings, app suite and attribution controls. Clone quickly when scaling operations, backup and restore device states, and maintain consistency across teams and assignments.

Use-Cases

  • App-based account creation, mobile-first registration flows, and SMS-driven onboarding

  • Video conferencing or live multimedia engagement from a phone-footprint persona

  • Mobile-specific e2-e workflows where a desktop browser alone won’t suffice

  • Evidence capture involving mobile interactions — documented and auditable

  • Scaling up investigations across teams with identical persona phones, all under centralized oversight

Seamless Integration and Customization

Similar to Virtual Desktops and SMS numbers, Alias’s Virtual Phones are pinned to an Alias instance, ensuring that each digital persona remains distinct and secure. This infrastructure organization and our single pane of glass interface prevents any mix-up of devices or data between different personas, preserving the integrity of your operations.

Linked Instances

Your virtual phone instance is directly tied to the corresponding virtual desktop instance within Alias. This ensures that all components of your digital persona, including the SMS number, remain consistent and properly associated, reducing the risk of cross-contamination between different identities.

cellphone graphic with a human holding a tablet
Device Passthrough

Enjoy device passthrough capabilities, allowing audio, video, camera, and other peripherals to be utilized seamlessly within your virtual phone environment. This feature enables you to watch videos, participate in video conferences, and perform other tasks that require real-time multimedia interaction, just as you would on a physical device.

Advanced Customization

Create gold templates of your virtual phones to standardize environments across your organization, ensuring consistency and reducing setup time for new investigations. You can also clone, backup, and restore your virtual phones with ease, giving you full control over your mobile environments and the flexibility to adjust as needed.

This enhanced customization and integration make Alias’s Virtual Phones not just a tool, but a versatile and reliable partner in your investigative workflows.

Get Started with SockPuppet Today

Let’s build your next identity together.

Contact SockPuppet today to discuss your operational needs and see how Alias can power your next investigation.