European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics

Ljubiša Zdravković; Milica Zdravković Jovanović

doi:doi:10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics

Ljubiša Zdravković^*

, Milica Zdravković Jovanović

Published in Advances in Networks (Volume 13, Issue 1)

Received: 1 September 2025 Accepted: 15 September 2025 Published: 16 January 2026

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Abstract

European Directive 2013/40 is the first comprehensive document created by the EU in the field of cyber security. It represents the EU's comprehensive vision of how to best prevent and respond to cyber interference and attacks, and on the other hand, enable the development of information technologies. It promotes respect for basic EU values, defines illegal behavior, advocates the application of existing international regulations in the field of high-tech crime, assists other countries outside the EU in building capacity to fight high-tech crime, and promotes cooperation in this area. The speed of technological development has influenced the development of digital forensics as a young scientific discipline, which, together with the parallel development of other sciences, applies new methods that affect the speed and simplicity of collecting solid evidence, investigates anti-forensic activities, with the aim of discovering the truth about committed illegal act. In response to high-tech crime, there was a need for the development of a new scientific discipline that will deal with it, as well as the regulation of legal bases related to the successful prosecution of criminal offenses in this area. Digital forensics is the application of investigation methods and analysis techniques in order to find suitable evidence for the court, in high-tech crimes. In order to prove the committed illegal acts and prosecute and sanction their perpetrators, it is necessary to apply the procedures of digital forensics as a scientific discipline with extremely significant practical application. Precisely digital forensics as a relatively new scientific discipline (established in 1999 by IECO - International Organization on Digital Evidence) provides the only reliable tool for the investigation of high-tech crime, the acquisition and analysis of digital data and the preparation and presentation of digital evidence before the court. It should be emphasized that for a digital forensic scientist, the monitoring and development of information technologies is of crucial importance. Sometimes differences in the operating system or version of a program are essential. That is why it is important to have digital forensic experts profiled according to their professional field (operating systems, databases, network systems, as well as profiling according to other ICT systems).

Published in	Advances in Networks (Volume 13, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
Page(s)	1-8
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

European Directive, Digital Forensics, Digital Evidence, Forensic Investigation, High-tech Crime

References

[1]	Zdravković Lj., 2015., High-tech crime, Niš, Vocational School for Criminology and Security.
[2]	Criminal Procedure Code (Official Gazette of RS, no. 35/2019 and 27/2021.).
[3]	Bejatović S., 2008., Criminal procedural law, Belgrade, JP Official Gazette.
[4]	Crime related to computer networka http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/congr10/10e.pdf 10. 12. 2021.
[5]	Criminal Code (Official Gazette of RS, no. 85/2005, 72/2009 and 35/2019).
[6]	Bejatović S. 2012., High-tech crime and criminal law instruments of confrontation, Proceedings - Suppression of crime and European integration with reference to high-tech crime, Laktaši, 18-30.
[7]	Benjamin S. Bucland, Fred Schreier, Theodor H. Winkler, Democratic Governance and Cyber Security Challenges, Geneva 2010, 7.
[8]	Strategy for the fight against high-tech crime for the period 2019-2023. (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, number 71/2018), Law on the Organization and Competence of State Bodies for the Fight against High-Tech Crime (Official Gazette of the RS, no. 61/05 and 104/09).
[9]	By the Law on Ministries ("Official Gazette of RS", no. 44/14, 14/15, 96/15 - other laws and 62/17).

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APA Style

Zdravković, L., Jovanović, M. Z. (2026). European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Advances in Networks, 13(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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ACS Style

Zdravković, L.; Jovanović, M. Z. European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Adv. Netw. 2026, 13(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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Zdravković L, Jovanović MZ. European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Adv Netw. 2026;13(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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@article{10.11648/j.net.20261301.11,
  author = {Ljubiša Zdravković and Milica Zdravković Jovanović},
  title = {European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics},
  journal = {Advances in Networks},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-8},
  doi = {10.11648/j.net.20261301.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.net.20261301.11},
  abstract = {European Directive 2013/40 is the first comprehensive document created by the EU in the field of cyber security. It represents the EU's comprehensive vision of how to best prevent and respond to cyber interference and attacks, and on the other hand, enable the development of information technologies. It promotes respect for basic EU values, defines illegal behavior, advocates the application of existing international regulations in the field of high-tech crime, assists other countries outside the EU in building capacity to fight high-tech crime, and promotes cooperation in this area. The speed of technological development has influenced the development of digital forensics as a young scientific discipline, which, together with the parallel development of other sciences, applies new methods that affect the speed and simplicity of collecting solid evidence, investigates anti-forensic activities, with the aim of discovering the truth about committed illegal act. In response to high-tech crime, there was a need for the development of a new scientific discipline that will deal with it, as well as the regulation of legal bases related to the successful prosecution of criminal offenses in this area. Digital forensics is the application of investigation methods and analysis techniques in order to find suitable evidence for the court, in high-tech crimes. In order to prove the committed illegal acts and prosecute and sanction their perpetrators, it is necessary to apply the procedures of digital forensics as a scientific discipline with extremely significant practical application. Precisely digital forensics as a relatively new scientific discipline (established in 1999 by IECO - International Organization on Digital Evidence) provides the only reliable tool for the investigation of high-tech crime, the acquisition and analysis of digital data and the preparation and presentation of digital evidence before the court. It should be emphasized that for a digital forensic scientist, the monitoring and development of information technologies is of crucial importance. Sometimes differences in the operating system or version of a program are essential. That is why it is important to have digital forensic experts profiled according to their professional field (operating systems, databases, network systems, as well as profiling according to other ICT systems).},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics
AU  - Ljubiša Zdravković
AU  - Milica Zdravković Jovanović
Y1  - 2026/01/16
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
T2  - Advances in Networks
JF  - Advances in Networks
JO  - Advances in Networks
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AB  - European Directive 2013/40 is the first comprehensive document created by the EU in the field of cyber security. It represents the EU's comprehensive vision of how to best prevent and respond to cyber interference and attacks, and on the other hand, enable the development of information technologies. It promotes respect for basic EU values, defines illegal behavior, advocates the application of existing international regulations in the field of high-tech crime, assists other countries outside the EU in building capacity to fight high-tech crime, and promotes cooperation in this area. The speed of technological development has influenced the development of digital forensics as a young scientific discipline, which, together with the parallel development of other sciences, applies new methods that affect the speed and simplicity of collecting solid evidence, investigates anti-forensic activities, with the aim of discovering the truth about committed illegal act. In response to high-tech crime, there was a need for the development of a new scientific discipline that will deal with it, as well as the regulation of legal bases related to the successful prosecution of criminal offenses in this area. Digital forensics is the application of investigation methods and analysis techniques in order to find suitable evidence for the court, in high-tech crimes. In order to prove the committed illegal acts and prosecute and sanction their perpetrators, it is necessary to apply the procedures of digital forensics as a scientific discipline with extremely significant practical application. Precisely digital forensics as a relatively new scientific discipline (established in 1999 by IECO - International Organization on Digital Evidence) provides the only reliable tool for the investigation of high-tech crime, the acquisition and analysis of digital data and the preparation and presentation of digital evidence before the court. It should be emphasized that for a digital forensic scientist, the monitoring and development of information technologies is of crucial importance. Sometimes differences in the operating system or version of a program are essential. That is why it is important to have digital forensic experts profiled according to their professional field (operating systems, databases, network systems, as well as profiling according to other ICT systems).
VL  - 13
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Author Information

Ljubiša Zdravković

Faculty of European Legal and Political Studies, Kallos European University, Belgrade, Serbia

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0008-0383-8657
Milica Zdravković Jovanović

Faculty of Electronics Niš, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

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APA Style

Zdravković, L., Jovanović, M. Z. (2026). European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Advances in Networks, 13(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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ACS Style

Zdravković, L.; Jovanović, M. Z. European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Adv. Netw. 2026, 13(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

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AMA Style

Zdravković L, Jovanović MZ. European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics. Adv Netw. 2026;13(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.net.20261301.11,
  author = {Ljubiša Zdravković and Milica Zdravković Jovanović},
  title = {European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics},
  journal = {Advances in Networks},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-8},
  doi = {10.11648/j.net.20261301.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.net.20261301.11},
  abstract = {European Directive 2013/40 is the first comprehensive document created by the EU in the field of cyber security. It represents the EU's comprehensive vision of how to best prevent and respond to cyber interference and attacks, and on the other hand, enable the development of information technologies. It promotes respect for basic EU values, defines illegal behavior, advocates the application of existing international regulations in the field of high-tech crime, assists other countries outside the EU in building capacity to fight high-tech crime, and promotes cooperation in this area. The speed of technological development has influenced the development of digital forensics as a young scientific discipline, which, together with the parallel development of other sciences, applies new methods that affect the speed and simplicity of collecting solid evidence, investigates anti-forensic activities, with the aim of discovering the truth about committed illegal act. In response to high-tech crime, there was a need for the development of a new scientific discipline that will deal with it, as well as the regulation of legal bases related to the successful prosecution of criminal offenses in this area. Digital forensics is the application of investigation methods and analysis techniques in order to find suitable evidence for the court, in high-tech crimes. In order to prove the committed illegal acts and prosecute and sanction their perpetrators, it is necessary to apply the procedures of digital forensics as a scientific discipline with extremely significant practical application. Precisely digital forensics as a relatively new scientific discipline (established in 1999 by IECO - International Organization on Digital Evidence) provides the only reliable tool for the investigation of high-tech crime, the acquisition and analysis of digital data and the preparation and presentation of digital evidence before the court. It should be emphasized that for a digital forensic scientist, the monitoring and development of information technologies is of crucial importance. Sometimes differences in the operating system or version of a program are essential. That is why it is important to have digital forensic experts profiled according to their professional field (operating systems, databases, network systems, as well as profiling according to other ICT systems).},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - European Directive 2013/40 and Digital Forensics
AU  - Ljubiša Zdravković
AU  - Milica Zdravković Jovanović
Y1  - 2026/01/16
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
T2  - Advances in Networks
JF  - Advances in Networks
JO  - Advances in Networks
SP  - 1
EP  - 8
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-9782
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.net.20261301.11
AB  - European Directive 2013/40 is the first comprehensive document created by the EU in the field of cyber security. It represents the EU's comprehensive vision of how to best prevent and respond to cyber interference and attacks, and on the other hand, enable the development of information technologies. It promotes respect for basic EU values, defines illegal behavior, advocates the application of existing international regulations in the field of high-tech crime, assists other countries outside the EU in building capacity to fight high-tech crime, and promotes cooperation in this area. The speed of technological development has influenced the development of digital forensics as a young scientific discipline, which, together with the parallel development of other sciences, applies new methods that affect the speed and simplicity of collecting solid evidence, investigates anti-forensic activities, with the aim of discovering the truth about committed illegal act. In response to high-tech crime, there was a need for the development of a new scientific discipline that will deal with it, as well as the regulation of legal bases related to the successful prosecution of criminal offenses in this area. Digital forensics is the application of investigation methods and analysis techniques in order to find suitable evidence for the court, in high-tech crimes. In order to prove the committed illegal acts and prosecute and sanction their perpetrators, it is necessary to apply the procedures of digital forensics as a scientific discipline with extremely significant practical application. Precisely digital forensics as a relatively new scientific discipline (established in 1999 by IECO - International Organization on Digital Evidence) provides the only reliable tool for the investigation of high-tech crime, the acquisition and analysis of digital data and the preparation and presentation of digital evidence before the court. It should be emphasized that for a digital forensic scientist, the monitoring and development of information technologies is of crucial importance. Sometimes differences in the operating system or version of a program are essential. That is why it is important to have digital forensic experts profiled according to their professional field (operating systems, databases, network systems, as well as profiling according to other ICT systems).
VL  - 13
IS  - 1
ER  -

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