Is it time to reconsider the digital forensic principles?

Digital forensics is a moderately new field of science, which is accustomed to changes as new technologies emerge (Pollitt, 2007).  As a result, there is a strong demand for universal principals; principals ensure reliability, replicability, and validity across all digital forensic investigations. Firstly, reliability implies that digital evidence is not altered in any shape or form (Daniels & Hart, 2009; Janet Williams, 2012; IOCE, 2000). Secondly, replicability confirms that another digital forensic investigator or program can acquire the same results multiple times (Daniels & Hart, 2009). Lastly, validity indicates the integrity of the digital evidence; usually to be presented in criminal justice settings. Hence, the three criteria stated above are essential for evaluating any digital evidence. Therefore, this paper will compare, contrast, and critique principals created by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the National Institution of Justice (NIJ), and the International Organization on Computer Evidence (IOCE)