Which of the following best describes data carving?

Data carving refers to the technique used to locate and recover files from unallocated disk space where the file system structure may no longer be intact. This process is critically important in digital forensics, as it allows investigators to retrieve files that may have been deleted or damaged beyond the ability of standard file recovery methods. During data carving, forensic tools analyze the raw data on the disk, searching for known file signatures and patterns that indicate the presence of specific file types, often bypassing the file system entirely.

This makes data carving particularly useful in situations where a file has been deleted, or when data needs to be gathered from remnants, such as in cases of data destruction or when the file system has been corrupted. The ability to extract and reconstruct files from unallocated space is essential for digital investigators and can provide crucial evidence in legal scenarios.