What Everybody Ought to Know About Digital Forensics

The advent of technological advancements has made it relatively easier for hackers and other cybercriminals to access various digital devices and essential information.
Although the rampancy of hacking and cybercrime has irrefutably caused major problems in the overall protection of assets, there are still new approaches undertaken to ensure that all documented digital pieces of evidence are kept in their most pristine condition.
Such a field of expertise is commonly known as Digital Forensics. But what is it really all about, and why is it important?
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What Is Digital Forensics?
Digital Forensics is a field that focuses more on the preservation and recovery of all digital pieces of evidence found within the constraints of a related cybercrime.
Whenever people are victimized by the illegal and bogus activities of cybercriminals, pieces of digital evidence are retained, and this valuable information can be presented in the rule of court.
Although this branch of science was not that prevalent in the past, contemporary proceedings and jurisdiction have recognized its importance in processing all cybercrime-related cases.
Hence, the field of digital Forensics has proven it worth identifying cases and inputting solutions to cybercrime.
What are the possible applications of Digital Forensics?
Aside from the fact that Digital Forensics can be used to analyze fragments of digital evidence, the possible application is deemed limitless.
Some businesses that protect their clients’ assets can take advantage of this field since most of the processes included are instrumental in proving the true nature of cybercrime.
Consequently, forensic investigators can also record data that can be utilized to revamp law enforcement further.
What are some of the steps used in Digital Forensics?
Just like how the initial processing of a complaint is done in court, the steps included in digital Forensics also follow a certain pattern to ensure that the pieces of evidence are kept in their most ideal condition.
Since most of the stuff included is in the digital form, Forensics work their best to keep cybercriminals from the potential of fiddling with valuable pieces of information.
In most cases, the process starts with identifying the crime and the evidence, followed by the preservation and analysis. Once these things are established, the authorities will then create a record and copy of the data to be documented and presented in court.
Who works in the field of Digital Forensics?
Those who work in the field of digital Forensics are called digital forensics investigators. They are tasked to recover any data storage files that may have been tampered with by the cybercriminals.
In the process of recovery, a Digital Forensics investigator will work hand-in-hand with a computer forensic analyst to identify how the potential attack may have transpired or how the initial network was invaded using malware or virus.
A digital forensic investigator is primarily tasked to help recover data used as a piece of valuable evidence in court.
What are some of the tools used by digital forensics investigators?
Digital forensics investigator also utilizes various tools to recover virtual data and other files which may have been kept in the operating system.
Whether they are damaged, deleted, or tampered with, these tools proved to be worthy in the process of recovery. Some of the most commonly used ones are the sleuth kit, FTK imager, and Xplico.