P2P

P E E R T O P E E R M A G A Z I N E · S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 45 information governance, need a new set of methodologies and workflows to ensure that data integrity — including preservation of metadata and maintaining chain of custody — is maintained throughout the collection process and in a manner that can withstand legal scrutiny. To maximize the admissibility of electronic evidence in court and ensure its reliability for investigative purposes, legal teams should ensure their cloud forensics methodologies and tools include the following key capabilities. Integration with leading cloud platforms to enable comprehensive and efficient access to data. Advanced discovery of data sources using sophisticated software to bring order to varied cloud source endpoints and API call designs. Secure authentication protocols and encryption to reinforce data security, user privacy, and protection against unauthorized access or corruption throughout investigative and discovery processes. Standardized data models to simplify complex data sets from varied sources, normalize standard metadata, and enhance analytical processes and reporting. Compatibility with standard forensic and ediscovery tools to support discovery workflows beyond collection and early case assessment stages. Audit and tracking, which are vital for maintaining data integrity and forensic soundness. Standardized export formats to streamline integration of data with legal review platforms and simplify data handling during review and production. Preservation of metadata and support of defensible processes to uphold evidentiary admissibility in legal proceedings and withstand challenges related to data authenticity and integrity. In a recent investigation, FTI Technology's emerging data sources and digital forensics experts supported a developer in artificial intelligence and autonomous transportation technologies who suspected a departing employee of stealing vital intellectual property by transferring it from the company's Microsoft 365 environment to a

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