Standard Guide for Establishing Confidence in Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Results by Error Mitigation Analysis

Importancia y uso:

3.1 Digital and multimedia evidence forensics is a complex field that is heavily reliant on algorithms that are embedded in automated tools and used to process evidence. Weaknesses or errors in these algorithms, tools, and processes can potentially lead to incorrect findings. Indeed, errors have occurred in a variety of contexts, demonstrating the need for more scientific rigor in digital and multimedia evidence forensics. This guide proposes a disciplined approach to mitigating potential errors in evidence processing to reduce the risk of inaccuracies, oversights, or misinterpretations in digital and multimedia evidence forensics. This approach provides a scientific basis for confidence in digital and multimedia evidence forensic results.

3.2 Error rates are used across the sciences to characterize the likelihood that a given result is correct. The goal is to explain to the reader (or receiver of the result) the confidence the provider of the result has that it is correct. Many forensic disciplines use error rates as a part of how they communicate their results. Similarly, digital and multimedia evidence forensics needs to communicate how and why there is confidence in the results. Because of intrinsic difference between the biological and chemical sciences and computer science, it is necessary to go beyond error rates. One difference between chemistry and computer science is that digital technology is constantly changing and individuals put their computers to unique uses, making it infeasible to develop a representative sample to use for error rate calculations. Furthermore, a digital and multimedia evidence forensic method may work well in one environment but fail completely in a different environment.

3.3 This guide provides a disciplined and structured approach for addressing and explaining potential errors and error rates associated with the use of digital and multimedia evidence forensic tools/processes in any given environment. This approach to establishing confidence in digital and multimedia evidence forensic results addresses Daubert considerations.

Subcomité:

E30.12

Volúmen:

14.02

Número ICS:

07.140 (Forensic science), 35.240.99 (IT applications in other fields)

Palabras clave:

computer forensics; Daubert; digital and multimedia evidence forensics; error mitigation; error rates;