Which technique is often employed to extract data from damaged disks?

The technique that is most commonly employed to extract data from damaged disks is disk imaging with recovery tools. This method involves creating a bit-for-bit copy of the damaged disk onto a new storage medium. This allows forensic analysts to work on the copy rather than the original disk, preserving the original evidence and preventing further damage.

Disk imaging is critical in forensic investigations because it enables the recovery of potentially inaccessible data, including files that may have been corrupted or partially damaged. Recovery tools can then be utilized on the image to attempt to retrieve lost information or repair corrupted files, making this approach particularly effective in forensic scenarios.

In contrast, the other options are not suitable for data extraction from damaged disks. File compression primarily reduces file sizes and does not assist in recovering or extracting data from damaged storage. Data encryption protects data but does not aid in data recovery; in fact, it can complicate the process if the key is not available. Cloud storage is a method of storing data online but is not related to the recovery of data from physical disks. Thus, disk imaging with recovery tools stands out as the correct answer due to its specific applicability in forensic data recovery situations.