Abstract
<jats:p>The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of digital forensics as one of the key and promising areas in the development of modern forensic science in the context of the rapid digitalization of society and the growing role of information and communication technologies in various spheres of life. Particular attention is paid to the impact of the development of digital technologies, the global Internet network, artificial intelligence, and information systems on the transformation of methods of committing criminal offenses and, accordingly, on the changes in approaches to their detection, investigation, and proof. Special consideration is given to the influence of hostilities and hybrid threats on the processes of collecting, recording, preserving, and examining digital evidence, as well as to the increasing number of cyber incidents aimed at state information resources, critical infrastructure, and control systems. The study analyzes the main theoretical approaches to understanding the concept of digital forensics and determines its place within the system of forensic technology and modern forensic science. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of the scientific positions of domestic and foreign scholars regarding the structure, functions, and prospects for the development of digital forensics, as well as the peculiarities of the legal regulation of the use of electronic evidence in criminal proceedings. Based on an analysis of contemporary scholarly sources, regulatory legal acts, and the practice of applying digital technologies in the activities of law enforcement agencies, the article identifies key technical and legal challenges related to ensuring the authenticity and integrity of digital evidence, maintaining the chain of custody, accessing data stored in cloud services, and the use of artificial intelligence technologies and synthetic media (deepfakes), which may complicate the process of proving. The necessity of adapting traditional forensic methods to the conditions of the digital environment, improving techniques for detecting and examining digital traces, developing interdisciplinary training for specialists in the field of digital forensics, and expanding international cooperation in combating cybercrime is substantiated. Keywords: digital forensics, electronic evidence, artificial intelligence, cybercrime, digital security.</jats:p>