In digital forensics, what does "triage" refer to?

In digital forensics, "triage" refers specifically to the prioritization of which evidence to examine first based on relevance. This process is critical because forensic investigators often encounter large volumes of data during an investigation, and having the ability to quickly identify and focus on the most pertinent information can significantly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of the examination.

By assessing and categorizing the relevance of the collected evidence early on, forensic professionals can allocate limited resources and time to the examination of the most critical items that are likely to yield valuable information. This prioritization helps streamline the investigative process, ensures that vital evidence is not overlooked, and maximizes the chances of uncovering significant findings.

While analyzing all collected evidence and presenting evidence in court are important aspects of the forensic process, they occur after the initial triage phase. The removal of irrelevant data is also an aspect of managing evidence but does not encapsulate the broader strategic focus that triage provides in determining which leads to follow first in a case.