What is meant by volatile memory?

Volatile memory refers to computer memory that requires a continuous power supply to retain stored information. This type of memory, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), loses its data when the power is turned off. This characteristic is essential in digital forensics, as it highlights the importance of capturing volatile memory during an investigation, as any information stored in this type of memory will be lost once the device is powered down or interrupted.

The other choices focus on different types of memory or data characteristics but do not capture the essence of volatile memory. Non-volatile memory, for example, retains data even when powered off, which is contrary to the nature of volatile memory. Moreover, while memory can be easily deleted, that doesn't define volatile memory; rather, it's a feature of how data may be managed across different memory types. Lastly, long-term data backups pertain to storage solutions designed for data preservation, which is also not described by the volatile memory concept. Thus, the definition of volatile memory is accurately represented by the option referring to memory requiring power to maintain stored information.