Writing the report
The purpose of your report is to document the results of your forensic examination and may support additional investigative endeavors. The report may also be used in criminal court proceedings, civil court proceedings, or administrative proceedings. Others can use your findings to support a probable cause hearing, grand jury proceeding, or as a basis for an administrative sanction in the corporate environment.
Your report will be the first step in providing testimony regarding the matter you are investigating. The opposition will scrutinize your report and if they call you to testify, expect to be questioned about the content of the report you created.
As you prepare to draft a report, identify who will be your audience. If you are writing the report for the Chief of Information, the IT security section, or any technology-based group, your report should go into much greater technical detail than the report directed toward lawyers, judges, or juries. If you...