What is the primary purpose of digital forensics?

The primary purpose of digital forensics is to identify, preserve, analyze, and present electronic evidence in a legally acceptable manner. This field is focused on the systematic examination of digital devices, data, and networks, especially in relation to incidents such as cybercrimes and data breaches.

The processes involved in digital forensics are critical to ensuring that the evidence collected can withstand scrutiny in a court of law. This includes maintaining the integrity of the data and ensuring that any findings can be effectively communicated to stakeholders, including law enforcement and attorneys. The goal is to establish a clear chain of custody and provide detailed reporting on the findings, which can be used to support legal actions or investigations.

Other options, while related to technology and data handling, do not encapsulate the main goal of the field. Recovering lost files is certainly a task that might occur in some scenarios, and improving security or software performance may be beneficial practices, but they do not represent the main focus of digital forensics, which is fundamentally about evidence handling and legal considerations.