Computer forensics is the application of investigation and analysis techniques to gather and preserve evidence from a particular computing device in a way that is suitable for presentation in a court of law. The goal of computer forensics is to perform a structured investigation and maintain a documented chain of evidence to find out exactly what happened on a computing device and who was responsible for it.

In the civil and criminal justice systems, computer forensics helps ensure the integrity of digital evidence presented in court cases. As computers and other data-collecting devices are used more frequently in every aspect of life, digital evidence -- and the forensic process used to collect, preserve and investigate it -- has become more important in solving crimes and other legal issues.The average person never sees much of the information modern devices collect. For instance, the computers in cars continually collect information on when a driver brakes, shifts, and changes speed without...