Standardised data format
Also known as: Standardisiertes Datenformat, interoperability, exchange format, handover schema
A uniform format for forensic results and exhibits so that tools from different vendors work in one pipeline and the chain of custody travels machine-readable with the data.
Proprietary export formats force analysts to convert data between tools by hand – slow and error-prone. The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (incl. EC3) (Europol) report calls for formats backed by standards bodies such as ETSI, with the chain of custody embedded structurally, modelled on the handover interfaces for lawful interception. For companies this matters when choosing providers: results must come in open formats, or you are tied to one tool.