Digital evidence acquisition and procedures
As we covered in the last chapter, data can be stored on both fixed and removable storage media. Data, however, can easily be deleted or completely lost depending on a multitude of factors that must be considered if we are to ensure the preservation of data. It might even be argued that there are more threats to digital than paper-based storage. The following are threats to paper-based storage:
- Water
- Fire and humidity
- Bugs
- Age
- Natural disasters—floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and so on
The following are threats to data on storage media:
- Human error and negligence
- Magnetism and electromagnetic fields
- Water and condensation
- Heat
- Dust
- Physical impacts
- Voltage
- Static electricity
- Natural disasters—floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and so on
When exactly does data become evidence?
Specific data may have a value that is relati...