Question

Digital forensics is not solely about the processes of acquiring, preserving, analyzing, and reporting on data concerning a crime or incident. A digital forensic scientist must be a scientist first and foremost and, therefore, must keep up-to-date with the latest research on digital forensic techniques. They may also contribute to the discipline through their research and publish it in peer-reviewed journals. Consider how digital evidence collection techniques have changed and evolved over time. Discuss how technology has driven this change and how we have been able to adapt to these changes.

Answer 1

Forensics is evolving in the digital age, and the judicial system is still catching up when it comes to appropriately employing digital evidence.

Broadly speaking, digital evidence is the information found on a wide range of electronic devices that can be helpful in court because of its probative value. It’s like the digital corresponding of a fingerprint or a muddy boot.

Still, digital evidence presented in court often fails to meet the same high standards expected of more developed forensics practices, particularly in ensuring the proof is what it purports to be.

The special qualities and technical sophistication of digital evidence often makes it even more challenging, as courts find it difficult to understand the true nature and value of that evidence.

In fact, the first role as a digital forensics consultant is normally to act as an interpreter, describing what the evidence means in a legal context.

Forensic innovation efforts are currently undertaken to establish new forensic methods that can be broadly used in the criminal justice system and do not provide only to increase the capability of forensic laboratories. With the advancement in technology, following changes have been seen in Digital Forensic:

Cyber proof/evidence:

It is becoming increasingly common for criminal court proceedings to rely on digital evidence. And, regrettably, it is not uncommon for innocents to be sentenced and guilty people acquitted due to the fact of digital evidence. There are various reasons for this. Firstly, the evidence may prove to be compelling at first glance, but it could be misleading. The accused may also have limited financial resources to rebut the proof. The defence lawyers might also misunderstand the evidence. Plea-bargaining presents can also lessen sentences. Conversely, other investigations may not get to trial because of the complexity or incompleteness of the evidence. Digital forensics is still in its infancy, and it is more of an art form lacking broad scientific standards to supports its use as evidence.

There is a call among scientists to test and trial better forensic practices and forensic tools. This is particularly important due to the increasing size of data storage on certain personal computing devices, let alone cloud and network storage, which offers greater recovery and jurisdictional challenges faced by practitioners. We also require a new tools and processes capable of finding and recovering sufficient evidence from larger data sets quickly, effectively and thoroughly. Forensic tools are often commercial products, thus profit-driven instead of science-based, and do not fulfil real forensic needs. They increasingly fail to recognize all evidence from larger datasets in a timely manner. The methods used by law enforcement tend to be agency-centric with little consensus on practice, standards and processes and sharing of case knowledge.

Cyber security threats to governments, businesses and individuals highlight our vulnerability to malicious attacks on our information assets and networks. Prevention and threat mitigation is topical, but we often overlook the simple act of bringing miscreants to justice and proving the innocence of those framed by their actions.

DNA Analysis

When it comes to analyzing evidence, perhaps the biggest advance in forensic science has been the introduction of forensic DNA analysis in 1985. Since then, millions of forensic DNA tests have been conducted in the United States and around the world. In a major advance, the analysis of DNA has evolved from a laborious process taking weeks or even months to a procedure that can be completed in a matter of two days.

DNA science has solved crimes considered if not unsolvable. In addition, DNA has ended the professional career of serial rapists and serial killers, identified the remains of soldiers missing in action, established paternity in many instances, helped medical detectives to track diseases, and illuminated countless other controversies involving biological issues.

Police today commonly use DNA analysis and other technologies. They are less dependent on traditional crime-solving methods that have fallen into disfavour, such as interrogating suspects, talking with informers or relying on witness identification.

Miniaturization

Forensic scientists are combining advances in miniaturization and microchip technologies with well-established techniques of forensic DNA analysis. The fusion of these technologies could revolutionize DNA typing.

Until recently, DNA analysis had been used mostly in serious criminal cases such as murder, rape, terrorism or genocide. Since advances have streamlined DNA procedures and cut their cost, however, they are being used increasingly to investigate other offenses such as hit-and-run, burglary, robbery and white-collar crime.

Image Enhancement

Advances in image-enhancement technology are helping police visualize evidence, such as imprints and impressions. Imprints are patterns left on hard surfaces. Impressions are three-dimensional patterns or indentations made in a softer medium such as mud, sand or snow.

A number of nondestructive photographic techniques have been developed to enhance imprints and impressions. These include the use of filters to vary contrast and alternate lighting techniques, such as oblique lighting, polarized light, ultraviolet light, infrared light and various wavelengths produced by alternate forensic light sources.

Images can also be enhanced with chemicals. The material picked up by a shoe to make an imprint could contain trace elements, minerals, blood and other compounds. These substances can be made more visible though enhancement using various chemicals.

Any kind of impression can be improved by image-enhancement technology — even bite marks. Digital imaging techniques can significantly improve the intensity and clarity of bite marks.

Whether it’s DNA, fingerprints, e-mail or other evidence, technology is giving us new tools that are helping not only to solve crimes, but also to prove the innocence of those wrongly accused