What does "carving" refer to in digital forensics?

"Carving" in digital forensics specifically refers to the process of recovering files based on the file structure. This technique is particularly useful when dealing with partially deleted files or files that do not have readily available file headers or file system metadata to assist in their recovery.

During the carving process, forensic investigators analyze the raw data on storage devices, searching for recognizable signatures or patterns that correspond to specific file types. This may include looking for byte sequences that identify the beginning and end of a file. If a file's metadata has been removed or altered, file carving allows forensic experts to reconstruct the file by locating the actual data content from the unallocated space on the disk.

File system metadata, such as file names and directory structures, provides useful context but isn’t always intact, especially in cases of deletion or data corruption. Thus, carving takes on significance as a method that enables the extraction of valuable digital information even in compromised scenarios.