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IFIP International Conference on Digital Forensics

DigitalForensics 2016: Advances in Digital Forensics XII pp 3–24Cite as

On a Scientific Theory of Digital Forensics

Part of the IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology book series (IFIPAICT,volume 484)

Abstract

A suitable theory to serve as scientific grounds for a digital forensic science is still elusive. Such a theory needs to satisfy the demands imposed by science and justify the facts derived as evidence using the theory. A number of grounding theories have been proposed. This chapter revisits three prominent theories, those of Gladyshev, Carrier and Cohen, and: (i) determines the requirements they suggest for a digital forensics theory; (ii) analyzes their primary differences; and (iii) assesses them using the norms that exist for science. This enables us to sketch the outlines of a new theory that better reflects the scientific requirements and the intended application of forensic science in a digital context.

Keywords

  • Forensic science
  • Digital evidence
  • Digital forensic science
  • Theory

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Martin Olivier

Authors
  1. Martin Olivier
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Correspondence to Martin Olivier .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology , Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA

    Gilbert Peterson

  2. Tandy School of Computer Science, University of Tulsa , Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

    Sujeet Shenoi

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© 2016 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing

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Olivier, M. (2016). On a Scientific Theory of Digital Forensics. In: Peterson, G., Shenoi, S. (eds) Advances in Digital Forensics XII. DigitalForensics 2016. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 484. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46279-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46279-0_1

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