What is the role of hash values in forensic investigations?

Hash values are used in digital forensics to ensure the authenticity and integrity of evidence by creating a unique digital fingerprint of a file or data set. When a file is hashed, a fixed-length string of characters is generated based on the content of the file. If the file is altered in any way, even a small change, the hash value will be significantly different. By comparing hash values before and after the acquisition of evidence, digital forensic analysts can verify that the evidence has not been tampered with. This helps ensure that the evidence is reliable and maintains its integrity throughout the investigation process.