Digital diplomatics and forensics: going forward on a global basis
Frederick B. Cohen · Records Management Journal · 2015
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to discuss moving forward on a global basis with digital diplomatics. Design/methodology/approach – This study fused a historic review of multiple fields to form a proposed future. Findings – Today, the metadata associated with digital record-keeping is largely based on the methods from the pre-digital age. It fails to take into account the underlying digital mechanisms and their unique properties. At the same time, digital systems already produce large quantities of redundant data that could be and has been used in consistency analysis. A rational improvement would be to use the nature of digital systems in conjunction with intentional redundancy to create metadata and other forms of redundant information that could be validated in diplomatic examination but would be hard to forge consistently by an internal act of alteration. Originality/value – This study uses a unique approach of fusing digital forensic science with digital diplomatics in the form of using inherent redundancy in digital records and metadata for consistency analysis as a means to fuse the fields.