In digital forensics, how is 'volatile data' defined?

Volatile data is best defined as data that is lost when a device is powered off or reset. This type of data resides in the device's temporary memory, such as RAM (Random Access Memory), which does not retain information once power is removed. Examples of volatile data include running processes, network connections, and unsaved files.

This distinction is crucial in digital forensics because volatile data can provide key insights into a system's state at the time of investigation, including evidence of user activity and system behavior. Capturing volatile data is essential as it can lead to more comprehensive forensic analyses and understanding of incidents.

In the context of the other options: data that can be stored permanently (the first option) refers to non-volatile storage, such as hard drives or SSDs, which retain information regardless of power state. The third option about data always being encrypted deals with security practices rather than the nature of the data being volatile or non-volatile. The final option regarding recently accessed and modified data relates more to the activity state of data but does not inherently define the volatility of data.