Digital Forensics: Delving into Challenges and Emerging Trends

Digital forensics has seen a surge in interest from both researchers and practitioners. This heightened focus is a direct response to the escalating sophistication of cyberattacks, which has made the task of gathering evidence increasingly intricate. As cybercriminals employ advanced techniques, professionals in the field must leverage a myriad of technologies to effectively gather and analyze evidence.

A valuable effort to provide insights on the complexity and evolving challenges this field experiences has been made by in “Research Trends, Challenges, and Emerging Topics in Digital Forensics: A Review of Reviews“.

A significant challenge highlighted is the process of evidence acquisition and pre-processing. The rise of counter-analysis methods and the inherent complexities in extracting data from a plethora of sources, such as devices, cloud platforms, and even blockchain ecosystems, have made this task daunting. But the challenges aren’t just technical. The study sheds light on procedural hurdles like ensuring readiness, crafting comprehensive reports, presenting findings effectively, and navigating the ethical minefields associated with evidence gathering and analysis. The European perspective is particularly noteworthy, given its traditionally stringent stance on privacy, emphasizing the need for a delicate balance between investigation and individual rights.

Furthermore, the document underscores the importance of fostering collaboration between researchers and practitioners across various digital forensics domains. Such collaboration is pivotal in ensuring that the field remains adaptive and responsive to emerging threats.

As the field continues to evolve, drawing insights from various sub-domains and fostering a spirit of collaboration can be instrumental in addressing both current and emerging challenges. Research and collaboration are key for digital forensics to ensure its efficacy in the face of evolving cyber threats.

Source: ResearchGate (2022), https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358837101_Research_Trends_Challenges_and_Emerging_Topics_in_Digital_Forensics_A_Review_of_Reviews, (Accessed on 07.05.2024)

Author(s): Livia Di Bernardini – APRE