Proposal of a Conceptual Framework to Represent the Historical Record of Events in the Chain of Custody: A Doctoral Thesis Review

The increasing complexity of digital investigations and the demand for reliable evidence pose challenges to digital forensics, especially with regard to the chain of custody and the security of collected evidence. The absence of a framework that integrates security, privacy, and data protection, combined with the risk of contamination of evidence, compromises its admissibility in legal proceedings. Given this scenario, this study proposes a conceptual framework for the historical record of evidence, covering the stages of collection, acquisition, examination, analysis, and ongoing custody. The methodology adopted combines a literature review, analysis of existing frameworks, and interviews with experts, allowing the validation and improvement of the proposed framework. The conceptual framework developed aims to strengthen the integrity and reliability of digital evidence, mitigating risks associated with its improper handling. In addition, it seeks to ensure that privacy, data protection, and information security are considered in an integrated manner, reducing vulnerabilities and increasing the efficiency in the preservation of digital evidence. The results obtained indicate the feasibility of applying the conceptual framework in real scenarios, contributing significantly to the admissibility of evidence in courts and to the improvement of practices in digital forensics.