What does "image analysis" involve in the context of digital forensics?

In digital forensics, "image analysis" specifically refers to examining the contents of a disk image to identify evidence. This process involves creating a bit-for-bit copy of a storage medium, such as a hard drive or a USB flash drive, and then analyzing this image to recover and assess any data that may be pertinent to an investigation.

During image analysis, forensic investigators can look for deleted files, recover lost data, trace user activity, and identify all sorts of information that may contribute to the larger scope of an investigation. The analysis also helps in ensuring that the original evidence is preserved without altering it, which is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the forensic process.

This procedure is distinct from other activities, such as examining user activity, identifying malware, or analyzing network protocols, which serve different purposes within digital forensics. These tasks do not focus specifically on the comprehensive analysis of disk images and their contents.