Digital forensics (sometimes known as
digital forensic science) is a branch of
forensic science encompassing the recovery and investigation of material found in digital devices, often in relation to
computer crime. The term digital forensics was originally used as a synonym for
computer forensics but has expanded to cover investigation of all devices capable of
storing digital data. With roots in the personal computing revolution of the late 1970s and early '80s, the discipline evolved in a haphazard manner during the 1990s, and it was not until the early 21st century that national policies emerged.