ASTM_E_3016_-_18.pdf

Designation:E301618Standard Guide forEstablishing Confidence in Digital and Multimedia EvidenceForensic Results by Error Mitigation Analysis1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3016;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide provides a process for recognizing anddescribing both errors and limitations associated with tools,techniques,and methods used to support digital and multime-dia evidence forensics.This is accomplished by explaininghow the concepts of errors and error rates should be addressedin digital and multimedia evidence forensics.It is important forpractitioners and stakeholders to understand that digital andmultimedia evidence forensic techniques and tools have knownlimitations,but those limitations have differences from errorsand error rates in other forensic disciplines.This guide pro-poses that confidence in digital and multimedia evidenceforensic results is best achieved by using an error mitigationanalysis approach that focuses on recognizing potential sourcesof error and then applying techniques used to mitigate them,including trained and competent personnel using tested andvalidated methods and practices.Sources of error not directlyrelated to tool usage are beyond the scope of this guide.1.2 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ISO Standard:2ISO/IEC 17025 General Requirements for the Competenceof Testing and Calibration Laboratories2.2 SWGDE Standards:3SWGDE Model Quality Assurance Manual for Digital Evi-denceSWGDE Standards and Controls Position PaperSWGDE/SWGIT Proficiency Test Program GuidelinesSWGDE/SWGIT Guidelines&Recommendations forTraining in Digital&Multimedia Evidence3.Significance and Use3.1 Digital and multimedia evidence forensics is a complexfield that is heavily reliant on algorithms that are embedded inautomated tools and used to process evidence.Weaknesses orerrors in these algorithms,tools,and processes can potentiallylead to incorrect findings.Indeed,errors have occurred in avariety of contexts,demonstrating the need for more scientificrigor in digital and multimedia evidence forensics.This guideproposes a disciplined approach to mitigating potential errorsin evidence processing to reduce the risk of inaccuracies,oversights,or misinterpretations in digital and multimediaevidence forensics.This approach provides a scientific basisfor confidence in digital and multimedia evidence forensicresults.3.2 Error rates are used across the sciences to characterizethe likelihood that a given result is correct.The goal is toexplain to the reader(or receiver of the result)the confidencethe provider of the result has that it is correct.Many forensicdisciplines use error rates as a part of how they communicatetheir results.Similarly,digital and multimedia evidence foren-sics needs to communicate how and why there is confidence inthe results.Because of intrinsic difference between the biologi-cal and chemical sciences and computer science,it is necessaryto go beyond error rates.One difference between chemistry andcomputer science is that digital technology is constantlychanging and individuals put their computers to unique uses,making it infeasible to develop a representative sample to usefor error rate calculations.Furthermore,a digital and multime-dia evidence forensic method may work well in one environ-ment but fail completely in a different environment.3.3 This guide provides a disciplined and structured ap-proach for addressing and explaining potential errors and errorrates associated with the use of digital and multimedia evi-dence forensic tools/processes in any given environment.Thisapproach to establishing confidence in digital and multimediaevidence forensic results addresses Daubert considerations.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on ForensicSciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.12 on Digital andMultimedia Evidence.Current edition approved June 1,2018.Published June 2018.Originallyapproved in 2015.Last previous edition approved as E3016 151.DOI:10.1520/E3016-18.2Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.3Available from the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence(SWDGE),https:/www.swgde.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with inter