34 WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | JUN 2022 In brief, what is digital forensics? What sorts of activities and techniques does it encompass? Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science that deals with the tools and methods used to recover and investigate digital artifacts. Artifacts are digital ‘footprints’ that get left behind by the activities of the device user. Users are generally not aware that these artifacts exist, and they are, by design, difficult to access and manipulate without specialist technical knowledge. Digital artifacts can reveal a wealth of information that is not presented to the user, which means they often contain valuable evidence in an investigation. The primary goal of digital forensics is to identify and preserve these artifacts as evidence, along with user content, in a forensically sound manner for use in legal proceedings. Any device, physical or in the cloud, that stores data is potentially in scope for digital forensics. Given the hugely digital world we now live in, and the proliferation of digital devices, digital forensics plays a key part in litigation and investigations. In today’s ever more technologically integrated world, digital forensics forms a crucial pillar of almost all investigations. What are the processes that digital forensic analysts follow when handling data and devices, and how is their role developing alongside the rapid pace of modern technological advancement? Below, we hear more on the subject from Amy Francis, Global Head of Digital Forensics at SR-M. Digital Forensics on Legal Proceedings Amy Francis Global Head of Digital Forensics S-RM Beaufort House, 15 St Botolph St, London EC3A 7DT Tel: +44 020-3763-9595 E: a.francis@s-rminform.com www.s-rminform.com THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL FORENSICS ON LEGAL PROCEEDINGS The Impact of
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk3Mzkz