Real-Time Applications of Digital Forensics: A Comprehensive Review and Future Prospects

Abstract

Digital forensics has evolved from a niche discipline to a critical component of modern investigative practices, particularly cybersecurity, law enforcement, and incident response. The rapid evolution of technology has led to the increasing need for real-time digital forensic capabilities, which are essential in handling cybercrimes, security breaches, and malicious activities as they unfold. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art techniques, tools, and frameworks that facilitate real-time digital forensics and discusses their applications, challenges, and future directions. We explore various domains, including live memory forensics, network traffic analysis, cloud forensics, mobile device forensics, and incident response. We highlight how these techniques contribute to immediate threat mitigation and evidence collection. Finally, we discuss the challenges associated with real-time forensic investigation, such as data integrity, legal considerations, and the complexities of forensic analysis in volatile, high-speed environments.