In the not-too-distant past, computers were monolithic devices that needed to be maintained and used by technicians with specialized skills in a separate, climate-controlled environment. They could only be owned and paid for by governments and large corporations that could communicate with them.

Calculators and gaming systems have more computing power and data storage capacity than the first giant computers, making computers a part of everyday life.

With each passing minute, the amount of personal, business, and government data stored on various devices increases due to the widespread use of computers. Digital media are frequently a part of criminal investigations, and security measures do not always keep up with the latest technology. A brand-new field of study known as digital forensics, or sometimes computer forensics, has emerged as a result of the sensitive nature of a lot of this data.

The recovery, investigation, and analysis of data found on digital devices like computers, smart phones, and media storage devices in such a way that the results can be used as evidence in a court of law is known as digital forensics. It can be used in the private sector to determine the nature and scope of an unauthorized network intrusion.

While conducting a structured investigation, one objective is to preserve evidence in its most original form. The process frequently entails the seizure, forensic imaging, and digital media analysis, as well as the production of a report detailing the outcomes. To precisely determine what took place on a computer and who was responsible for it, this structured investigation must maintain a documented chain of evidence. For assurance that the data has not been altered or compromised, there must also be a clear chain of custody. When data is collected incorrectly, it may be altered or corrupted, rendering it useless for the investigation.

The first step is to copy all memory and hard drives to preserve the crime scene. This keeps the device in its current state and lets it be used again. After the information is safeguarded, the examination for proof can begin.

A PC criminology master should show abilities and experience by procuring no less than one of the significant certificates in PC legal sciences. Even when the browser history and cache may have been deleted, a competent examiner can recover deleted files and analyze Internet data to identify websites visited from a particular computer.

A specialist in computer forensics can also recover messages sent via chat or instant messenger. The expert can also retrieve email messages and deleted images while they are analyzing the data. A competent computer forensics expert will also be able to recover deleted data from mobile phones, such as deleted text messages, call logs, emails, and other similar data, in the modern world of mobile Internet devices.

To access, preserve, and analyze the data and eliminate any risk of spoliation during Digital Forensic investigations, specific steps and procedures necessitate an additional level of technical expertise. This procedure should only be handled by trained professionals with IT expertise. This guarantees that a legal team can use the data as evidence in court.