Introduction
As the digital forensic discipline was formalized as a scientific discipline, the principles, methodologies, and techniques have remained consistent despite the evolution of technology and can ultimately be applied to any form of digital data. Within a corporate environment, digital forensic practitioners are often relied upon to maintain the legal admissibility and forensic viability of digital evidence in support of a broad range of different business functions.
Digital Forensic Readiness requires organizations to strategically integrate its business functions and processes with its administrative, technical, and physical Information Security controls to maximize the use of digital evidence while minimizing investigative costs. By doing so, organizations are in a much better position to pro-actively detect and deter security events before they escalate into a more serious incident or reactive investigation.
While not directly related to how the digital forensic discipline is practiced, the supplemental business functions and processes discussed in this section of the book are essential to successfully implementing a Digital Forensic Readiness. Using these business functions and processes as part of a Digital Forensic Readiness program allows organizations to make much more appropriate and informed decisions about their business risks specific to the digital forensic investigations.
In this section, the business function and processes discussed throughout the book have been included as supplemental content to Digital Forensic Readiness. While these materials can be used as part of the Digital Forensic Readiness program, they have been included as standalone materials and can be referenced as independent functions and processes that can also be used in other contexts.