Introduction
Digital evidence is a reasonably novel skill in data trail; law enforcement investigations depend on a high rate of forensic evidence for any critical data used to build the case. Without a data trail, it becomes challenging for high-value issues or information to be utilized in any meaningful way. Recent investigations in forensic science history have pointed out the importance of data trail in case of case closure, prosecution, or fraud of any form. Furthermore, any misstep in forensic data trail can cause dangerous effects, and outcomes can be contestable in any shoddy work. Forensic can be leveraged in the data trail in many spheres of human life, including in medicine, specifically with the introduction of tracing of DNA strands that can establish the origin of a species; at the same time, scientific research and innovation have been taken to a high level with the introduction of forensics that has helped to trail and improve on earlier designs that could have otherwise failed to materialize.
In most cases, forensics and data are utilized in ascertaining criminal activities—the judicial section of government benefits at a high rate with innovations in forensics and data trails. Leveraging forensics in a data trail can revolutionize the world of criminal investigations, medical designs, science research, and development and, at the same time, help individuals, organizations, and state recover any data that might accidentally or purposefully be discarded from technological devices. This research paper highlights the background of forensics leverage in data trail, importance, consequences, safety while trailing data because of forensics, recommendations, and a conclusion.
Background
A few years ago, forensic science technics were deployed during investigations of serious crimes such as homicide, rape, and burglary. However, with changing times, forensic techniques are being utilized in almost all criminal activities, and more often, it is being used in criminal investigations across the judicial system. Technological advancements, specifically the development of DNA databases and the innovation of computerized fingerprints tracing strategy, have transformed substantially how forensic procedures are being applied to criminal investigations. Standing alone, these technological developments are insufficient to bring about desired results unless they are utilized in harmony with competent human actors during the investigative procedure.
Forensic laboratories have grown almost doubled since the early 1970s necessitated by the increase in drug abuse, need for the police and courts to provide more objective evidence on criminal activities, success stories in scientific fields such DNA testing that gives a clear lead to the source of biological creatures, and the onset of fictional and accurate crime media reports of forensic sciences. However, there is no information on the exact genesis of forensic science. It was established that from 1960 to 1970, only physical evidence was presented, little scientific data was introduced, and even if it was shown, it had an unreasonable outcome. The recent studies evidence use of forensic science was in the 1980s. A police investigation funded by the NIJ established that clearance rates of crimes were scientifically proven evidence was three times higher than in cases where forensic strategies were not used. Furthermore, on offenses related to property, DNA trail established an increased crime that leads to more incarcerations; prosecutions doubled.
Early 1980’s individual computers become more prevalent among many consumers, which escalated criminal activities. Also, various new computer illegal activities were on the rise associated with password cracking. The study for computer forensics emerged at this time to recover and evaluate data for court use. Between 2002 and 3003, crimes related to computers increased by 67%. Forensics in data trail investigate crimes including fraud, spying, child pornography, rape, murder, and cyberstalking. Forensic techniques are at the heart of explaining current data existing on computer systems such as storage devices and electronic documents. Forensics helps in trailing data, retrieving data, and finally reconstructing data. Heiser & Kruse (2002) describe computer forensic as the art of identifying, preserving, extraction, interpretation, and documentation of computer data. Forensics is more of art than a science since it is pegged on flexibility and a wide range of domain information.
Analysis and Research
Future research
Computer forensics is currently commonly used in court systems, and it has stringent regulations, such as the information must be genuine, dependable, and above all, admissible. However, various nations and judicial systems have different criteria used to access computer forensic evidence. Studies currently suggest that this information’s authenticity can be assured if forensics takes up the advantages presented to it by data trail. Data trail is proposed as the wheels on which computer forensics should be rolled out either in criminology, lawsuits, science, medicine, or security. Data is information, and information is power. If computer forensics can rely on data trail opportunities, then, without doubt, it will be the game changer in various fields across human society.
Current Research
Computer forensic inquiries can take advantage of data trail in its premium digital forensic procedure of obtaining, investigating, scrutinizing, and reporting. Usually, it is in the form of static data. Traditionally forensics worked with live data that made it hard to get accurate and reliable evidence. Still, with the improvement of technology, data trial can help lead to more static data, which will be of much help.
Current Expert Engagements
Currently, experts are working on several techniques that can help forensics leverage on data trail to make the work of computer forensics effective and efficient some of these techniques include;
Cross-drive Examination: It is the ability of computer forensic to relate data found on multiple storage devices. Though the process is still under research, it can also access social media platforms and build the ability to detect any form of the anomaly.
Stochastic Forensics: This technique employs stochastic computer system components to evaluate actions without digital artifacts. This method is commonly used in data theft among scholars and hackers.
Erased Files: this is more prevalent than the rest of the techniques. It is mostly used to recover discarded files from gadgets. There is a new software that has been developed to carve out deleted and destroyed data. This technique can be sued to reconstruct deleted data remotely.
Live Analysis: this is the technique of accessing computer data from within the operating system by customized forensics. This technique works better in encrypted files that may be collected before the system is shut down.
Steganography: some criminal elements are becoming smart and keep hiding data. The most commonplace of hiding sensitive data is in pictures or digital images. For instance, a lot of child pornographic materials are stashed away into pictures. This technique has changed the narrative in forensics by merely analyzing the harsh of the hidden files and contrasting them with original images; the image will look the same, but its severity will fluctuate as the data in it starts to change.
Experts Recommendations
Experts believe that for computer forensics to take full advantage of data trail, it must take care of volatile data. Volatile data may be very crucial in some circumstances, and as is well known, volatile data can be lost at any time the system shuts down. Volatile data is domiciled in the registries, random access memory, or the computer cache. Therefore, a live forensic technique is recommended. Live forensic is the ability to trail data in a volatile state.
Furthermore, experts recommend that regulations surrounding data trail are so bureaucratic. It wastes a lot of time, and many times, forensic experts get hold of the devices, the data will have been lost or tampered with that now requires more energy and resources to retrieve. Time is of value when it comes to leveraging on data trail in matters of computer forensics.
Contributions
Current recommendations
Forensics should take full advantage of data trial in its ability to offer effective and efficient services. Data trail is the secrete that can unearth more details in the security sector, especially while dealing with criminal elements. In medicine, forensic experts must closely look at data trial statistics to produce an error-proof diagnosis of DNA strands and, at the same time, offer a proper diagnosis in case of crimes such as rape. In scientific research, forensics must leverage data trails to establish the starting point of scientific explanations and happenings and generate more research and information that can revolutionize the world of science.
Research recommendations
More research needs to be carried out in forensics and develop better technology to access data trials from gadgets remotely easily. Following up on data manually has hampered data trial speed and accuracy, and sometimes the findings have been highly contested in courts and debates on their authenticity. Forensic experts should devout more time on creating sustainable technology that can give real time data trial in the shortest period. Furthermore, the government should dedicate more resources to support research in forensic studies. Through more research and innovations, forensic techniques will take full advantage of the data trail to produce the much-desired results.
Predictions
The future of computer forensics is joined at the hip with a data trail. The two are in the sate of concomitance. One leads to the other. A robust forensic presence will accompany any meaningful data trail in the future. Any forensic technique that will be judged as valid and candid must be backed up by a data trail in the same breath. I predict data trail and computer forensics being collapsed into one outfit.
Thoughts and Possible Solutions.
Computer forensics should be merged with data trail techniques to reduce time and resources spend separately trying to find a problem that can be solved in one instance. If data trail experts worked closely with forensic experts, synergies would be generated to ensure effective and efficient results.
Summary and Conclusions
Computer forensics needs to have a harmonized language. Computer forensics has slowed down other forensic activities due to their lack of cooperation in other disciplines. The need to leverage computer forensics with a data trail is the silver bullet that will bring about the desired results. Computer systems need to develop forensic components. There should be concerted efforts between computer forensics and data trail through structured communications to realize scientific procedures just the same way they exist in other forensic ventures in line with DNA evaluations where the data collected and the science regarding its accuracy of all the tests is crystal clear. Forensics will be more effective and efficient if it leveraged on data trail and employed forensic techniques such as Cross-drive Examination, Stochastic Forensics, Erased Files, Live Analysis, and Steganography.
Forensic experts should undertake further research, and the government should heavily fund such ventures to develop better technology in computer forensics. Computer forensics’ success is pegged on its ability to save volatile data that may be very crucial in courts or for any other venture. Experts must look at new ways of trailing data remotely for this significantly increase accuracy, reduce costs, and, at the same time, save on time. All forensic disciplines should work in complementary terms with each other to get accurate results. Technology is still evolving, and new measures are being put into place by computer forensics, but the only sure way is to leverage forensics with a data trail.
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