Forensic Evidence Collection in IoT Environments: A Systematic Review of Current Techniques, Gaps and Strategic Recommendations for Data Integrity

Abstract

Due to the advancement in the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the different sectors have greatly expanded through connectivity and flexibility. However, these various devices and networks present certain difficulties for the digital forensic investigations, especially, in the aspects of the devices type variety and data integrity. In later years IoT has given additional concerns to the field of digital investigation and traditional techniques have many times been found incompetent to effectively deal with these issues which demands the establishment of sound evidence acquisition processes suitable for IoT environment. Thus, this research employed mixed methods approach, a comprehensive review as well as the systematic literature review (SLR) method to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing forensics techniques and tools in the context of IoT. This research aims to identify gaps in current methodologies and propose potential solutions to enhance the reliability and effectiveness of forensic evidence collection in IoT environments through the systematic analysis of peer-reviewed articles, case studies, and industry reports. The study proposed strategic recommendations for developing additional robust forensic methods that ensure data integrity and accommodate the vast diversity of IoT devices, thereby supporting more accurate and reliable digital investigations in this fast developing technological landscape.