Hash-Algorithms Output for Digital Evidence in Computer Forensics

Abstract

With the fast developments in computer and internet connections going through the world, the high-tech crime problem is also companying with it on the way. Hash-algorithm is, basically, a crypto-function that enables to output a short-string for any possible input digital strings. One of its applications is able to be used in the field of computer forensics to authenticate the completeness of digital evidence. According to the collision-free nature of hash, any one minor change of strings in function input, the output-strings will be totally diverse. In this paper, we review the hash property and discuss the related applications in computer forensics to enhance the reliability of digital evidence in the investigation of computer crime-events.