What is the objective of using hashes in digital forensics?

The objective of using hashes in digital forensics is to uniquely identify files. Hash functions generate a fixed-size string of characters that represent data, regardless of the size of the input. This process is deterministic, meaning that the same input will always produce the same hash value, which makes it an effective tool for verifying data integrity and authenticity.

In digital forensics, hashes are crucial for several reasons. They can be used to confirm that a file has not been altered; if a file is unchanged, its hash will remain the same. When investigating digital evidence, forensic experts often create a hash of the original data and then compare it to a hash of a copy made during the forensic process. Any discrepancy indicates that the file has been modified in some way, which could be crucial evidence in an investigation.

Additionally, hashes help in quickly identifying known files. For example, law enforcement agencies maintain databases of hash values for known malware or illicit materials. When a forensic expert encounters a file with a matching hash, they can quickly classify the file as significant or benign based on the hash database.

Other choices do not accurately reflect the primary function of hashes in the context of digital forensics. Compressing files involves reducing the file size for storage, encrypting deals with securing