Digital forensics (also known as computer forensics or informatyka śledcza in Polish) is the scientific discipline that deals with identifying, preserving, analysing, and presenting digital evidence in a manner that maintains its integrity and admissibility in court or internal corporate investigations.
It is most commonly used in the following situations:
- Data leaks and theft of trade secrets
- Employee misconduct or fraud (unauthorised data access, sabotage, etc.)
- Cyberattacks (ransomware, phishing, APT, malware infections)
- Determining the source and scope of a breach
- Recovery of deleted or hidden data
- Civil and criminal litigation requiring digital proof
- Internal corporate investigations and compliance audits
Key principle
Every step of the forensic process must preserve the chain of custody and follow recognised standards (ISO/IEC 27037, NIST SP 800-86, Polish procedural requirements, etc.) so that the evidence and findings are fully admissible before a court.