Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science used by individuals, corporations, government agencies and police to monitor, analyze and examine digital media or devices. Digital forensics is also a field of study and has a broad range of specialties, including cyber-stalking to identifying hackers.

Private Companies

Companies hire digital forensic specialist to monitor employee email, test for vulnerabilities in the security of a network or investigate computer malfunctions.

Government and Military

Local, state and federal government agencies and military branches communicate and store highly classified data on computer networks. This opens up security violation possibilities that require 24-hour protection. The U.S. Department of State opened a computer investigations and forensics branch in 2004 that is dedicated to digital forensics.

Law Enforcement

Because we rely on digital technology for almost all of our communication nowadays, criminal cases are often based on digital evidence. For example, a warrant may be obtained to mirror data on a computer hard drive or recover data that has been deleted on a suspects computer.

Photo Manipulation

We are trained to believe that seeing is believing, but photographic manipulation dates as far back as 1860. Image-editing software and digital cameras have made manipulation that much easier. Digital forensic specialists can analyze a photograph by recreating light sources in a photograph or looking at the underlying aberrations in digital photographic data.

Digital Evidence in a Court

Just like any other evidence in a court of law, digital evidence must be relevant, legally obtained and based on scientific method. Similar to presenting DNA in a courtroom, there must be proof as to the way digital data has been obtained.

Source:

U.S. Department of State Computer Investigations and Forensics Branch

Legal Aspects of Digital Forensics

Photo Tamering Throughout The Ages

Resource:

Computer Forensic Investigation

Digital Forensics Association