What is a date and time stamp?
Date and time stamps are records that mathematically link a document to the time and date it was created, modified, or last accessed. They are stored as part of a file’s metadata (data about data) in the same “index” area as the name of the file itself. Even if the relevant data no longer exists, date and time information about the files might still be available. However, users must beware. Date and time stamps can be altered if a computer is booted up or if a novice user opens a file to analyze the associated dates. As such, in order to properly capture date and time stamps on computer files, computer forensic best practices must always be employed. 2. How are date and time stamps created? In Microsoft-based operating systems, date and time stamps are automatically recorded. This includes the dates and times a file was created, modified, and last accessed. Deleted file stamps are located in a special hidden file within the recycle bin, which can show when the file was deleted. Once th
