Search Word(s) in Title, Keywords, Authors, and Abstract:
Humaira Arshad
Digital Forensics: Review of Issues in Scientific Validation of Digital Evidence
Humaira Arshad, Aman Bin Jantan and Oludare Isaac Abiodun
Page: 346~376, Vol. 14, No.2, 2018
10.3745/JIPS.03.0095
Keywords: Criminal Investigation, Data, Digital Forensics, Electronic Evidence, Reliability, Validation, Verification
Show / Hide Abstract
Digital Forensics: Review of Issues in Scientific Validation of Digital Evidence
Humaira Arshad, Aman Bin Jantan and Oludare Isaac Abiodun
Page: 346~376, Vol. 14, No.2, 2018

Keywords: Criminal Investigation, Data, Digital Forensics, Electronic Evidence, Reliability, Validation, Verification
Show / Hide Abstract
Digital forensics is a vital part of almost every criminal investigation given the amount of information
available and the opportunities offered by electronic data to investigate and evidence a crime. However, in
criminal justice proceedings, these electronic pieces of evidence are often considered with the utmost
suspicion and uncertainty, although, on occasions are justifiable. Presently, the use of scientifically unproven
forensic techniques are highly criticized in legal proceedings. Nevertheless, the exceedingly distinct and
dynamic characteristics of electronic data, in addition to the current legislation and privacy laws remain as
challenging aspects for systematically attesting evidence in a court of law. This article presents a
comprehensive study to examine the issues that are considered essential to discuss and resolve, for the proper
acceptance of evidence based on scientific grounds. Moreover, the article explains the state of forensics in
emerging sub-fields of digital technology such as, cloud computing, social media, and the Internet of
Things (IoT), and reviewing the challenges which may complicate the process of systematic validation of
electronic evidence. The study further explores various solutions previously proposed, by researchers and
academics, regarding their appropriateness based on their experimental evaluation. Additionally, this
article suggests open research areas, highlighting many of the issues and problems associated with the
empirical evaluation of these solutions for immediate attention by researchers and practitioners. Notably,
academics must react to these challenges with appropriate emphasis on methodical verification. Therefore,
for this purpose, the issues in the experiential validation of practices currently available are reviewed in this
study. The review also discusses the struggle involved in demonstrating the reliability and validity of these
approaches with contemporary evaluation methods. Furthermore, the development of best practices,
reliable tools and the formulation of formal testing methods for digital forensic techniques are highlighted
which could be extremely useful and of immense value to improve the trustworthiness of electronic
evidence in legal proceedings.