What does digital forensics involve?

Digital forensics involves the process of recovering, analyzing, and investigating material from digital devices. This field is focused on identifying, preserving, and presenting evidence found in digital formats that can be used in legal cases or investigations. The discipline encompasses a wide range of devices and media, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and servers.

The core purpose of digital forensics is to uncover information that may be hidden or lost due to deletion, corruption, or other issues, while ensuring that the evidence is handled in a way that maintains its integrity and can withstand scrutiny in court. Investigators employ various tools and methodologies to perform tasks like data recovery, file analysis, system audits, and more, always adhering to legal protocols to ensure the evidence collected is admissible in a judicial context.

The other options involve important aspects of IT and data management, but they do not encapsulate the essence of digital forensics. Creating digital backups primarily focuses on the preservation of data without the intent of investigation. Designing security software relates to building protective measures for digital assets, and setting up cloud storage deals with the organization and management of data storage solutions. None of these activities directly involve the investigation and recovery of digital evidence, which is the central theme of digital forensics.