Electronic digital information as the central object of electronic digital forensics

The article states that the category "Information" is one of the most controversial in the history of science and philosophy. In the 20th century, a new type of information appeared - computer (electronic, digital, machine, etc.). In relation to the object of electronic digital forensics, the issues of precise definition of the concept of information circulating in computer systems, networks and other electronic devices are considered. The object of electronic digital criminalistics is precisely social relations related to the collection, research and use of electronic digital information and information technology devices. The subject of electronic digital forensics, we consider the patterns of occurrence, movement, transformation of criminally significant electronic information, patterns of evaluation and use of criminally significant electronic digital information. The article analyzes various opinions regarding the correct naming of this information, identifies their positive and negative sides. According to the results of the analysis of various approaches to the information under consideration, it is stated that the optimal definition for the purposes of practical law enforcement is the definition of “electronic digital information” as reflecting both the method of recording and a kind of “language” of recording. The characteristic “electronic” speaks primarily about the method of writing, changing, reading and deleting using the movement of electrons, electro-magnetic interactions. The characteristic of “digital” is about the language of recording by sampling analog information and presenting it in the form, as a rule, of a dual sequence of digits. At the same time, in order to disclose the essence of this type of information, it is necessary to indicate the method of recording information, the form of recording, its placement and functional purpose. According to the results of the study, it is concluded that electronic digital information can be defined as information recorded in any way, but transformed into a human-readable form using electromagnetic interactions and encoded using a digital code, suitable for automatic processing, located in information technology devices and transmitted between them in any way, or distributed between them. Of course, the active development of issues related to electronic digital information in criminology will contribute to the expansion of information about the crime, translated from potential criminally significant to relevant.