Global standards producer ETSI has announced the release of a key standard to confirm the integrity of digital material used in legal proceedings. ETSI TS 103 643 provides a set of tools for those wanting to demonstrate the legitimacy of digital evidence.
Legal systems depend on a court being able to have confidence in the material that is used during legal proceedings, ETSI explained. This is essential for the proper functioning of society – to have confidence that people are being found guilty or not guilty on the basis of accurate information.
Digital material is increasingly being used as evidence as part of legal proceedings, and it is important that techniques for preserving such evidence are kept up-to-date as the formats of data evolve.
According to ETSI, ETSI TS 103 643 will provide assistance in this regard.
“This new ETSI specification helps provide confidence around the software/machine aspects helping people write appropriate software that will be able to be used in court and will stand the test of time,” said Alex Leadbeater, chair of ETSI TC CYBER. “It aims to provide reassurance to critical court material in a cost-effective way and saves time for those involved in the process.”
ETSI provides members with an open and inclusive environment to support the timely development, ratification and testing of globally applicable standards for ICT-enabled systems, applications and services across all sectors of industry and society.