Forensic Use of Hash Values and Associated Hash Algorithms
Subject supplement
Various teams of the Digital and Biometric Traces Division (DBS in Dutch) of the NFI receive and analyse mainly digital material. The results that these teams deliver also consist mainly of digital data. To ensure the integrity of the contents of the digital material, DBS uses hash values, which may also be used for the classification and identification of files.
This technical supplement discusses hash values in more detail and explains its main forensic applications. The use of hash values in practice is also discussed. Finally, the technical choices made by the DBS Division of the NFI for the uses of hash values are described.