Digital Forensics Experimentation: Analysis and Recommendations.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Digital Forensics Research

Background:

• Digital forensics (DF) is a critical field for legal evidence acquisition and analysis.
• Reproducibility in DF experiments is hindered by inadequate documentation and data sharing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the current state of research experiments in digital forensics.
• To identify deficiencies in the documentation and reproducibility of DF studies.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) of 107 primary studies on digital forensics experiments.
• Analyzed studies for the presence and quality of essential experimental components.

Main Results:

• DF experiments frequently lack crucial details like hypotheses, variables, setup, and statistical analyses.
• Significant gaps exist in reporting validity evaluation, limitations, and data sharing practices.
• The reproducibility of digital forensics research is currently insufficient.

Conclusions:

• Digital forensics experimentation requires substantial improvement in documentation and data sharing.
• Recommendations are proposed to enhance the reliability, replication, and reproducibility of DF studies.
• Improved experimental practices will benefit both academic researchers and legal practitioners.