A Review on Digital Forensics

Abstract

Digital forensics has become a critical discipline in modern cybersecurity and criminal investigations due to the rapid growth of digital technologies, cloud services, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence, and decentralized computing environments. The increasing volume, velocity, and diversity of digital evidence have significantly transformed forensic investigation practices. Traditional forensic approaches based on static disk imaging are no longer sufficient for handling volatile, distributed, and encrypted data sources. This review examines the evolution of digital forensics from conventional computer investigations to contemporary cloud, IoT, cryptocurrency, and AI-driven environments. The paper explores emerging challenges including evidence acquisition, chain of custody preservation, anti-forensic techniques, privacy concerns, and the admissibility of AI-generated evidence. Furthermore, recent advances in machine learning-assisted investigations, deepfake detection, and automated forensic triage are analyzed. The review synthesizes current literature, identifies research gaps, and highlights future directions for developing scalable, intelligent, and legally defensible forensic frameworks.