Enhancing Digital Forensic Evidence Management with Blockchain: Applications, Security and Legal Compliance.

Abstract

Digital forensics has become indispensable in modern criminal investigations, yet the integrity, traceability, and legal admissibility of electronic evidence remain persistent concerns. Conventional evidence management systems rely on centralized databases and manual documentation, rendering them susceptible to tampering, insider threats, audit inconsistencies, and chain-of-custody failures. Blockchain technology characterized by decentralization, immutability, and cryptographic integrity offers a transformative approach to securing digital evidence throughout its lifecycle. This study investigates the practical application of blockchain for digital forensic evidence management, emphasizing security, transparency, and compliance with legal standards such as the Daubert criteria and the Federal Rules of Evidence. A functional blockchain-based prototype was developed to simulate evidence submission, verification, and chain-of-custody updates. Experimental evaluation demonstrated robust tamper detection (100%), complete auditability, role-based access control, and fully traceable evidence histories. Performance tests revealed an average throughput of 25–30 transactions per second (TPS), latency of 1.2 seconds, and block creation time of 10 seconds metrics deemed acceptable for forensic contexts where reliability outweighs real-time demands. The findings affirm that blockchain significantly enhances evidence integrity and admissibility. However, challenges such as scalability limitations, consensus overhead, interoperability with existing forensic platforms, and regulatory alignment with frameworks like GDPR remain. The study concludes that blockchain adoption can fortify digital forensic processes, provided it is supported by targeted policy reforms, standardized evaluation frameworks, and institutional readiness.