How can you ensure your forensic investigation is objective and unbiased?

1 Define the scope and purpose

Before you start your forensic investigation, you need to clearly define the scope and purpose of your inquiry. What are the objectives and goals of your investigation? What are the sources and types of evidence you need to collect and examine? What are the legal and ethical boundaries and constraints you need to respect? By defining the scope and purpose of your investigation, you can avoid unnecessary or irrelevant data collection, analysis, or presentation, as well as potential conflicts of interest or bias.

3 Use appropriate tools and techniques

Forensic investigation requires the use of appropriate tools and techniques that can help you perform your tasks effectively and efficiently. However, not all tools and techniques are equally suitable or reliable for every situation or scenario. You need to choose the tools and techniques that match the type and nature of the evidence you are dealing with, as well as the objectives and requirements of your investigation. You also need to validate and verify the tools and techniques you use, to ensure they do not alter, damage, or compromise the evidence or your analysis. Some examples of tools and techniques are forensic software, hardware, and kits, such as EnCase, FTK, Cellebrite, Write Blockers, etc.

5 Review and validate your findings

Forensic investigation is not a one-way or one-time process, but a dynamic and iterative one. You need to review and validate your findings throughout your investigation, to ensure they are supported by sufficient and credible evidence, and they are consistent and coherent with your objectives and scope. You also need to be aware of and acknowledge any limitations, uncertainties, or assumptions that may affect your findings, and report them accordingly. You can also seek feedback and input from other experts or peers, to verify and enhance the quality and credibility of your findings.

6 Be ethical and professional

Forensic investigation is not only a technical or scientific process, but also an ethical and professional one. You need to be ethical and professional in every aspect of your investigation, from the way you handle and treat the evidence and the data subjects, to the way you communicate and present your findings and recommendations. You need to respect the privacy, confidentiality, and rights of the data subjects, as well as the laws, regulations, and policies that govern your investigation. You need to be honest, impartial, and objective in your analysis and reporting, and avoid any bias, prejudice, or influence that may compromise your integrity or credibility. You need to follow the codes of conduct and ethics of your profession and organization, and adhere to the principles of fairness, justice, and accountability.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?