Writing forensic reports is a critical and complex task for digital forensic professionals. It is considered both an art and a science. There is a saying, “If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen,” which applies directly to forensic reports. These documents serve as the foundation for courtroom testimony. An effective report must provide the necessary information for legal stakeholders, such as attorneys, judges, and sometimes juries, and support the examiner in defending their conclusions.
The report must be clear, complete, and present only the relevant facts. It must serve as the basis for future testimony and be readable by non-technical individuals, such as lawyers or judges.
The digital forensic process is divided into four main phases, all crucial for ensuring an accurate and useful report:
Notes are the foundation of the forensic report. Any information included in the report must first be documented in the notes. It is crucial that the notes are clear, detailed, and contain enough information for another examiner to replicate the findings.
A well-written forensic report is divided into sections that follow a logical order. The lecture proposes a structure with six main sections.
This section describes the requests made to the examiner, specifying who requested the examination, under what authority it was conducted, and what goals were set. It’s essential to define these points at the beginning to avoid misunderstandings with the client and to clearly know when the examination is complete.