<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<article article-type="Research Article">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">journal-of-information-and-optimization-sciences</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Journal of Information and Optimization Sciences</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn publication-format="electronic">2169-0103</issn>
      <issn publication-format="print">0252-2667</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Taru Publications</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.47974/JIOS-2414</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>IoT and smart devices : A forensic framework for digital evidence footprint collection</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Abdullahi</surname>
            <given-names>Bamidele Busari</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sharda School of Computing Science &amp; Engineering, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
          <name>
            <surname>Shekhar</surname>
            <given-names>Jayant</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sharda School of Computing Science &amp; Engineering, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Rajput</surname>
            <given-names>Pushpendra Kumar</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sharda School of Computing Science &amp; Engineering, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India</aff>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>47</volume>
      <issue>9-A</issue>
      <fpage>3179</fpage>
      <lpage>3192</lpage>
      <pub-date date-type="pub">
        <day>30</day>
        <month>09</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <abstract>
        <p>In almost all most 99% investigations, the main issue is to determine whether or not a particular person was present at the crime scene. The internet of things (IoT) and smart devices have been very helpful in this area of investigations, as it is digital device which make it easy for digital forensic tools in playing a roll. Detective depend on these smart devices in other to bring light digital proofs and identify the actual criminal or persons who was there. Fingerprint are no longer the only source of evidence; now even footprints can be use as scientists have proved through countless publications and research that every footprint is different like every fingerprint. Digital crime on the other hand is not getting slow again. Most probably due to the fact that a large number of people are using network computer and communication devices, which contain vast amounts of data, the number of cases is constantly on the rise. Our dependence on digital technologies is inversely proportional to the number of traces that we leave behind, traces that are easily detected by investigators. This transition is not just about comfort, it has affected court systems in quick decision. Digital evidence shows up in courtrooms all the time now.Digital forensics is a core part of most investigations, Sometimes the computer and the smart device is the tool used to commit the crime, other times it holds key info about what happened either way, if a smart device was around you then you get investigators in checking for the clues.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>IoT forensics</kwd>
        <kwd>Digital evidence</kwd>
        <kwd>Digital footprints</kwd>
        <kwd>Footprint identification</kwd>
        <kwd>Cybercrime investigation</kwd>
        <kwd>Digital trace analysis</kwd>
        <kwd>Criminal identification</kwd>
        <kwd>Mobile forensics</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <custom-meta-group>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>access</meta-name>
          <meta-value>open</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>retracted</meta-name>
          <meta-value>no</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
      </custom-meta-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
