Digital forensics is a branch of forensics science that primarily focuses on identifying, analyzing, preserving, and documenting digital evidence. You can safely say that this aspect of forensics focuses on cybercrime and digital devices. It enables investigators to acquire relevant information about different cases, which is enough to convict a criminal in the courtroom. These pieces of data are easier to acquire with the help of relevant image and video forensics tools.
Read further to fully understand what digital forensics is, its different phases, and how to pick different image & video forensics tools.
Importance of digital forensics today
Digital forensics is an important aspect of our lives today. With the help of the right image and video forensics tools, investigators can easily acquire digital evidence, which is enough to solve different crimes and legal issues quickly.
Today, data theft is one of the most common cyber crimes that a lot of people experience today. With accurate digital evidence, it becomes very easy to identify the attackers and exactly how the breach happened.
Another common cybercrime case is identity theft. In this case, digital evidence acquired by forensics investigators can be utilized to understand the effect of a data breach on a company. Furthermore, with digital forensics, it becomes very easy to resolve various violent crimes, including assault, murder, and burglary.
Different phases of digital forensics
Today, digital forensics can be carried out by investigators in different phases, including data acquisition and evidence collection.
1. Response, searching, & seizure
Let’s assume a security incident just happened and your team needs to investigate it. The first response is that you all need to visit the crime scene to find important evidence. At this phase, you’ll have to search and seize various devices involved in the unfortunate crime incident.
2. Collection of evidence
The collection of evidence is another essential phase of a forensics investigation. This phase follows immediately after seizing relevant devices, which you can use to acquire evidence for courtroom use.
For you to collect evidence, you certainly need some of the best image and video forensics tools. With these tools, it becomes pretty easy for you to collect important data with various techniques.
3. Securing the evidence
You don’t want anything or anybody to tamper with the digital evidence acquired from the different devices seized at crime scenes. This is where the need to secure the evidence comes in handy.
For image or video evidence, you need to keep the evidence secure at all costs. One way to do this is through video & image authentication, which allows you to analyze and identify the evidence to be accurate and accessible.
4. Data analysis & assessment
At this phase, acquired evidence is analyzed and converted into useful data, which is much needed to complete the case in the courtroom. For instance, here’s where you need to check the quality of images or videos acquired as digital evidence. With the best image and video enhancement software tools, you can improve the quality and keep the evidence ready for court use.
5. Reporting & documentation
The last phase of digital forensics requires you to report and document data exactly how the court of the law wants them delivered.