After the process of collecting evidence, there must be a follow-up of thorough investigation. For this to successfully play out, there must be rigid methods for the storage, retrieving and copying of evidence between folders. The examination of data from the elected archives can be done through a variety of techniques and thiscould include searching through data that contains a specific keyword.
Also, in such criminal cases, date and time of the event is critical in narrowing down suspects and such. All documents have date and timelines attached to them, proving to be very useful for investigators. Besides all the above, there are encrypted files that contain a hidden message that can also be cracked by professionals.
The file names are also analyzed as this can determine a whole host of questions like when and where it was created, thus helping them in figuring out the connection between the storage files and online data transfer. Files are usually connected to an exact server and computer from which they were uploaded. This will give investigators ideas as to where the system is situated. You could match filenames to any listing on the person of interest’s hard drive as a way of validating any form of digital evidence they may have collected over the course of research.
There are also other tools that can help in the retrieving of data such as deleted files. Ofcourse, the tools have to go through a trial and error before ensuring that they are a reliable way of restoring lost data as accuracy is imperative in these cases or it might lead to other complications involving the judiciary system. There is call history, internet history, opened programs and otherwise deleted files that are explored in the hunt for evidence. An expert with specialized skills in the field can be looking through unstructured, displaced, cryptographic or muddled data and may still be able to connect the dots. The evidence is then assembled together to make more sense of the situation. It can also provide facts like the identity of the suspect, his or her location, the place of attack etc.
Due to the increased scope of drawing out evidence within data search alone; computer forensic investigators join forces with detectives, lawyers and other competent experts like Elijah information technology consulting in determining that there is complete clarity in the nature of the case and all the different types of information that can serve as evidence.
