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The discipline of digital forensics requires a combination of skills, qualifications and knowledge in the area of forensic investigation, legal aspects and information technology. The uniqueness of digital evidence makes the adoption of traditional legal approaches problematic. Information technology terminology is currently used interchangeably without any regard to being unambiguous and consistent in relation to legal texts. Many of the information technology terms or concepts have not yet achieved legal recognition. The recognition and standardisation of terminology within a legal context are of the utmost importance to ensure that miscommunication does not occur. To provide clarity or guidance on some of the terms and concepts applicable to digital forensics and for the search and seizure of digital evidence, some of the concepts and terms are reviewed and discussed, using the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 as a point of departure. Digital evidence is often collected incorrectly and analysed ineffectively or simply overlooked due to the complexities that digital evidence poses to forensic investigators. As with any forensic science, specific regulations, guidelines, principles or procedures should be followed to meet the objectives of investigations and to ensure the accuracy and acceptance of findings. These regulations, guidelines, principles or procedures are discussed within the context of digital forensics: what processes should be followed and how these processes ensure the acceptability of digital evidence. These processes include international principles and standards such as those of the Association of Chiefs of Police Officers and the International Organisation of Standardisation. A summary is also provided of the most influential or best-recognised international (IOS) standards on digital forensics. It is concluded that the originality, reliability, integrity and admissibility of digital evidence should be maintained as follows:  Data should not b

The discipline of digital forensics requires a combination of skills, qualifications and knowledge in the area of forensic investigation, legal aspects and information technology. The uniqueness of digital evidence makes the adoption of traditional legal approaches problematic. Information technology terminology is currently used interchangeably without any regard to being unambiguous and consistent in relation to legal texts. Many of the information technology terms or concepts have not yet achieved legal recognition. The recognition and standardisation of terminology within a legal context are of the utmost importance to ensure that miscommunication does not occur. To provide clarity or guidance on some of the terms and concepts applicable to digital forensics and for the search and seizure of digital evidence, some of the concepts and terms are reviewed and discussed, using the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 as a point of departure. Digital evidence is often collected incorrectly and analysed ineffectively or simply overlooked due to the complexities that digital evidence poses to forensic investigators. As with any forensic science, specific regulations, guidelines, principles or procedures should be followed to meet the objectives of investigations and to ensure the accuracy and acceptance of findings. These regulations, guidelines, principles or procedures are discussed within the context of digital forensics: what processes should be followed and how these processes ensure the acceptability of digital evidence. These processes include international principles and standards such as those of the Association of Chiefs of Police Officers and the International Organisation of Standardisation. A summary is also provided of the most influential or best-recognised international (IOS) standards on digital forensics. It is concluded that the originality, reliability, integrity and admissibility of digital evidence should be maintained as follows:  Data should not b

A pesar del loable intento por parte del Convenio Europeo sobre Ciberdelincuencia por armonizar la normativa europea en la lucha contra el cibercrimen, la realidad es que todavía no se han producido las reformas procesales necesarias para perseguir dichos delitos y a sus autores de manera eficaz. La necesidad de modificaciones legislativas al respecto se evidencia, especialmente, en las cuestiones relativas a la entrada y registro, a los protocolos de actuación policial en la obtención de datos digitales, la cadena de custodia y, finalmente, a la prueba del documento electrónico. El presente artículo pretende poner de manifiesto tales carencias, y los problemas que ello conlleva, respecto de las cuestiones antes mencionadas, en España e Inglaterra., Despite of the European Convention on Cybercrime laudable attempt to harmonize European legislation in the fight against cybercrime, the truth is that no procedural reforms have been done yet in order to prosecute such crimes and their perpetrators effectively. The need for legislative reforms in this regard is evident especially in relation to matters such as digital search and seizure, police protocols and guidelines on computer evidence, chain of custody, and, finally, digital evidence. This article aims to highlight the mentioned questions and the problems that entails in Spain and England.

A pesar del loable intento por parte del Convenio Europeo sobre Ciberdelincuencia por armonizar la normativa europea en la lucha contra el cibercrimen, la realidad es que todavía no se han producido las reformas procesales necesarias para perseguir dichos delitos y a sus autores de manera eficaz. La necesidad de modificaciones legislativas al respecto se evidencia, especialmente, en las cuestiones relativas a la entrada y registro, a los protocolos de actuación policial en la obtención de datos digitales, la cadena de custodia y, finalmente, a la prueba del documento electrónico. El presente artículo pretende poner de manifiesto tales carencias, y los problemas que ello conlleva, respecto de las cuestiones antes mencionadas, en España e Inglaterra., Despite of the European Convention on Cybercrime laudable attempt to harmonize European legislation in the fight against cybercrime, the truth is that no procedural reforms have been done yet in order to prosecute such crimes and their perpetrators effectively. The need for legislative reforms in this regard is evident especially in relation to matters such as digital search and seizure, police protocols and guidelines on computer evidence, chain of custody, and, finally, digital evidence. This article aims to highlight the mentioned questions and the problems that entails in Spain and England.

The advent of the digital age has made it inevitable that troops in contact will fall upon computers and related equipment valuable for the information they can provide about the enemy. In this paper, Dr. William G. Perry provides some guidelines about processing computer equipment for transfer to information and intelligence professionals who might wring out from digital storage media the critical information needed to penetrate the enemy's decision matrix. In addition, captured computer gear may often need to be protected by a chain of custody to support legal actions against illegal combatants/criminals. The digital age meshes with the 21st century irregular warfare environment in which nonstate actors, armed groups, terrorists, and criminals confront established governments. Today's Special Operations Forces (SOF) are most likely to confront these opponents while on counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, and counterterrorism missions. From the moment of tactical discovery until its presentation in the courtroom, digital evidence will need to be safeguarded and a valid chain of custody maintained so that the host nation (or U.S. Government) might successfully bring criminals to justice. This will fall on the shoulders of the SOF operators at the tip of the spear who must add yet another skill set to their already full rucksacks. Particularly in direct action missions, the need to properly capture and bag-up enemy digital material can be critical to mission success, both for intelligence and legal purposes. Every strike team that descends upon the target will consider employing a "forensics team" that can rapidly identify sources of valuable digital information, document the findings, and secure computers and storage media., ISBN 1-933749-37-7