Basics of Digital Forensics

Digital forensics is the process through which skilled investigators identify, preserve, analyze, document, and present material found on digital or electronic devices, such as computers and smartphones. Originally the term primarily applied to criminal investigations, focusing on the use of digital evidence in the prosecution of a crime, but it has expanded to include many other types of investigations in recent years. The goal of a digital forensics investigation is to preserve the evidence as it exists while also uncovering information that helps the investigator reconstruct past events and understand not just how, but also why, they occurred the way they did.