Forensic Focus

Forensic Focus: Digital Forensics, Incident Response, DFIR
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Digital forensics discussion for computer forensics, DFIR and eDiscovery professionals. Visit Forensic Focus at forensicfocus.com for more.

  1. 4D AGO

    Covert Cyber Investigator Well-Being With Carol Brooks

    📝 Take The Surveys An Exploratory Study of Covert Cyber Investigators and the Psychological Factors Impacting on Personal Resilience and Investigative Decision-Making https://hud.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3gwyXAR281cY12C Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study https://www.forensicfocus.com/survey Carol Brooks, a cyber and organisational psychologist and leadership consultant, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to discuss her PhD research into covert cyber investigators and the psychological factors that shape their resilience and investigative decision-making. She explains what it really means to work "covertly" online and why inconsistent job titles across law enforcement, cybersecurity and the private sector make it difficult even to define the workforce she is studying. The conversation explores the significant challenges involved in recruiting participants — from suspicion and cultural barriers to the difficulties of engaging freelancers and small teams — and highlights why anonymity and ethical oversight are critical to building trust. It also examines the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry if research is to have real-world impact, before concluding with a call for covert cyber investigators worldwide to take part in the study and help give this hidden workforce a much-needed voice. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #CyberPsychology #InvestigatorWellbeing #CovertInvestigations #mentalhealth 00:00 Introducing Carol Brooks 02:05 Carol's PhD Journey and Research Focus 06:49 Understanding Covert Cyber Investigators 13:11 Challenges in Recruiting Participants 27:18 Psychological Factors in Cyber Investigations 29:54 Setting PhD Goals and Challenges 31:02 Connecting with Covert Investigators 32:25 Overcoming Suspicion and Misconceptions 33:26 Strategies for Accessing Networks 36:37 Supporting Investigator Wellbeing 46:55 Bridging Academia and Industry 52:50 Balancing PhD and Personal Life 58:36 Call to Action for Covert Investigators 👉 Visit Forensic Focus: https://www.forensicfocus.com 🎧 Video/Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/covert-cyber-investigator-well-being-with-carol-brooks/ 📝 Show Notes An Exploratory Study of Covert Cyber Investigators and the Psychological Factors Impacting on Personal Resilience and Investigative Decision-Making - https://hud.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3gwyXAR281cY12C British Psychological Society Cyber Psychology Section – https://www.bps.org.uk Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/northumbria/forensic-focus-wellbeing-survey 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X (Twitter) | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus

    1h 2m

  2. JAN 8

    Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study - Have Your Say

    Phil Anderson from Northumbria University joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to discuss the launch of the Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study — a global research project examining the psychological and physical impact of digital forensic work across both law enforcement and the private sector. Drawing on his 24-year academic career and long-standing collaboration with Northumbria Police, Phil explains how digital forensics units have evolved and why DFIs are facing unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, and workload pressure. Together with host Paul, he outlines the four core research themes behind the study — early-life trauma and resilience, the mind-body impact of occupational stress, organisational protective factors, and the role of neurodiversity — and issues a clear call to action for DFIs worldwide to take part and help drive meaningful change. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #ForensicWellbeing #DFIs #MentalHealth #Neurodiversity #Trauma #PoliceForensics 00:00 Phil Anderson's Journey into Digital Forensics 01:34 Collaboration with Northumbria Police 02:33 The Evolution of Digital Forensics Units 03:34 Planning the Forensic Focus Well-Being Study 11:40 Exploring the Impact of Early Life Trauma on DFIs 19:51 Coping Strategies and Physical Health in DFIs 24:37 Challenges and Stressors in Digital Forensics 27:51 Challenges in Digital Forensics 28:42 Recruitment and Retention Issues 30:18 Acknowledging the Crisis 33:34 Protective Factors Against Trauma 44:08 Neurodiversity in Digital Forensics 47:46 Call to Action: Participate in the Survey 👉 Visit Forensic Focus at https://www.forensicfocus.com 🎧 Video/Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/forensic-focus-international-well-being-study-have-your-say/ 📝 Show Notes Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/northumbria/forensic-focus-wellbeing-survey Forensic Focus and Northumbria University Launch International Well-Being Study for Digital Forensic Investigators - https://www.forensicfocus.com/news/forensic-focus-and-northumbria-university-launch-international-well-being-study-for-digital-forensic-investigators/ 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X (Twitter) | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus

    53 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Si And Desi's Holiday Special 2025

    Si and Desi close out the year on the Forensic Focus Podcast with a wide-ranging end-of-2025 wrap-up, reflecting on how the year unfolded for the show and the DFIR community. They discuss the mental health series, guest appearances, and how everyday technologies — from streaming services to wearables — are increasingly intersecting with forensic investigations, even when people don't realise it. The conversation then broadens to bigger technology shifts, including the rapid rise of AI and its legal, ethical, and societal implications. Si and Desi explore bias, misinformation, validation, and why human oversight still matters, before turning to the resurgence of operating system "wars," Apple's growing market share, Linux's expanding presence, and what changing user behaviour could mean for digital forensics in the years ahead. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #ForensicFocusPodcast #AI #Wearables #Linux #Apple 👉 Visit Forensic Focus: https://www.forensicfocus.com ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to the Forensic Focus Podcast 00:33 Reflecting on the Year 2025 01:32 Challenges and Changes in 2025 02:09 Mental Health Series and Guest Appearances 04:51 Streaming Services and TV Licenses 09:27 Wearable Technology and Forensics 18:11 AI in Legal and Ethical Contexts 44:20 AI's Inevitable Rise 44:37 The Resurgence of Operating System Wars 45:19 Apple's Growing Market Share 46:31 Linux's Increasing Presence 53:14 Challenges for Linux Adoption 01:02:31 The Shift to Mobile and Tablet Usage 01:14:49 AI-Generated Content and Its Implications 01:21:50 Reflections on Free Speech and AI 01:27:57 Looking Ahead to the Future 🎧 Video/Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/si-and-desis-holiday-special-2025/ 📝 Show Notes Forensic Focus Podcasts - https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast Forensic Focus Jobs Board - https://www.forensicfocus.com/jobs 'The old-school landline is having a cultural moment', ABC - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-16/landline-rotary-phone-social-media-ban-family-connect/106010638 'Judges have become 'human filters' as AI in Australian courts reaches 'unsustainable phase', chief justice says', The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov/21/judges-have-become-human-filters-as-ai-in-australian-courts-reaches-unsustainable-phase-chief-justice-says 'Founder Admits His "AI Transcription" Startup Was Just Him Joining People's Meetings and Taking Notes by Hand', Futurism - https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/fireflies-founder-startup-ai 'Man Alarmed to Discover His Smart Vacuum Was Broadcasting a Secret Map of His House', Futurism - https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/robot-vacuum-broadcasting 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X (Twitter) | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus

    1h 33m

  4. 12/18/2025

    Oxygen Forensics On Smarter, Faster Remote DFIR Collections

    Keith Lockhart from Oxygen Forensics joins Si and Desi on the Forensic Focus Podcast to examine how remote digital evidence collection is changing investigative workflows across DFIR, eDiscovery, and corporate investigations. Drawing on recent XiB mobile training and real-world deployments, Keith explains where remote and agent-based acquisition delivers practical benefits—and where traditional hands-on methods remain essential. The discussion covers targeted versus full acquisitions, consent and governance in corporate environments, and the operational realities of collecting data across networks, jurisdictions, and time zones. It also explores over-the-air mobile collection, workstation memory capture, drone forensics, and why parser development remains a constant challenge as apps and platforms evolve. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #MobileForensics #IncidentResponse #eDiscovery #RemoteCollection #DigitalEvidence #cybercrime 👉 Visit Forensic Focus at https://www.forensicfocus.com ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Welcoming Keith from Oxygen 01:59 Discussing the XiB Course Experience 05:19 Challenges and Successes in Mobile Phone Extraction 10:22 Remote Collection and Its Evolution 14:38 ROI and Practical Applications of Remote Collection 30:32 Remote Collection in Corporate and Law Enforcement 35:01 Parole Monitoring Challenges  35:20 Case Study: Faulty Monitoring Software 36:34 The Need for Reliable Monitoring Tools 37:23 Cross-Border Data and Legal Concerns 38:02 Chain of Custody in Law Enforcement 39:26 Remote Acquisition and Targeted Data Collection 41:33 Corporate Use Cases and Data Management 51:04 Drone Acquisition and Challenges 01:00:34 Concluding Thoughts and Future Developments 🎥 Video/Transcript – https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/oxygen-forensics-on-smarter-faster-remote-dfir-collections/ 📝 Show Notes Oxygen Forensics – https://www.oxygenforensics.com/ Review: Oxygen Forensics Training – Extraction in a Box (XiB) – https://www.forensicfocus.com/reviews/oxygen-forensics-training-extraction-in-a-box-xib/ 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed/ YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus Website | https://www.forensicfocus.com

    1h 7m

  5. 12/11/2025

    The Idaho Murders: From Behavioural Clues To AI's Role In Digital Forensics

    Heather and Jared Barnhart return to the Forensic Focus Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation covering Cellebrite's growing Case-to-Closure Summit, behind-the-scenes insights from building one of the industry's toughest CTFs, and their digital forensic work on one of the most high-profile US murder cases in recent years. They share why the C2C Summit focuses on practitioner-led talks rather than product pitches, what made the first event such a success, and what's planned for the next gathering — including expanded training and a keynote from Terry Crews. The discussion also dives into how they design complex CTFs, why intentionally frustrating questions teach critical thinking, and how their mobile forensics analysis helped reveal behavioural patterns, intent, and attempts to hide activity in the Idaho murders investigation. They finish by exploring the future of investigations and AI — from cautious, evidence-bounded implementations to the importance of validation and avoiding confirmation bias. Get 50% off Cellebrite C2C User Summit 2026 registration with promo code: 2026-c2c-ForensicFocus #DigitalForensics #DFIR #MobileForensics #Cellebrite #CTF #incidentresponse #ForensicFocus #AIForensics 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions 01:33 C2C Summit Overview 03:35 C2C Summit Success and Highlights 09:45 Challenges and Insights from CTF 19:56 Introduction to the Idaho Murders Case 25:10 The Slow Process of Justice  25:53 Key Evidence: The Knife Sheath and the Car 27:46 Digital Footprint and Intent 28:58 Challenges in Mobile Forensics 31:49 Behavioral Patterns and Digital Evidence 42:30 AI in Forensics 43:17 Future of Digital Investigations 44:00 The Role of AI in Investigations 50:52 Validation and Confirmation Bias  54:24 Closing Remarks and Future Plans 👉 Visit Forensic Focus: https://www.forensicfocus.com 🎧 Episode Page & Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/the-idaho-murders-from-behavioural-clues-to-ais-role-in-digital-forensics/ 📝 Show Notes Cellebrite – https://www.cellebrite.com Cellebrite C2C User Summit 2026 – https://events.cellebritec2c.com/event/2026/overview CFReDS – https://cfreds.nist.gov/ SANS DFIR Summit & Training 2026 – https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-training-events/digital-forensics-summit-2026 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X (Twitter) | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus

    57 min

  6. 11/24/2025

    Inside FTK Imager Pro: Vendor-Neutral Forensics, Smarter AI, And Exterro's Forensic Vision

    Justin Tolman from Exterro joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to talk about the future of FTK and the role FTK Imager still plays in everyday casework. He explains why the original free version remains available, and what prompted the introduction of Imager Pro with added capabilities like BitLocker decryption and iOS collections. Justin also reflects on his time in law enforcement and training, and why the investigative side of the work still holds a strong pull. Looking ahead, Justin shares where FTK development is headed — from large-scale processing and streamlined review workflows to Whisper-based audio transcription and careful, targeted use of AI for tasks like summarising long documents and cross-media searching. He also previews Exterro's upcoming Inform event — a 15-hour global broadcast featuring talks from practitioners around the world — and invites the community to get involved. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #FTK #Exterro #ForensicImaging #MobileForensics #IncidentResponse  00:00 Welcome to the Forensic Focus Podcast 00:31 Introducing Justin Tolman from Exterro 01:46 Justin's Journey into Forensics 03:10 Transition to Training and Exterro 06:31 FTK Imager Pro: Features and Benefits 14:36 Training and Community Resources 16:29 Updates on FTK Suite and Scalability 19:10 On-Prem vs. Cloud Solutions 26:57 AI in Forensics: Benefits and Challenges 37:45 Addressing AI Bias in Forensics 38:53 Case Study: AI Misinterpretation in Seattle Shooting 40:14 The Importance of Validation in AI Forensics 41:18 Challenges in Identifying Legal vs. Illegal Content 43:08 The Future of AI in Forensics 44:18 Collaboration and Integration in Forensic Tools 46:07 The Role of APIs and Open Standards 47:18 Challenges with Proprietary Forensic Formats 54:36 The Need for High Compression Formats 56:32 Forensic Focus Podcast and Community Engagement 01:00:56 Upcoming Forensic Events and Presentations 01:06:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 👉 Visit Forensic Focus: https://www.forensicfocus.com 🎧 Video/Transcript: https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-ftk-imager-pro-vendor-neutral-forensics-smarter-ai-and-exterros-forensic-vision/ 📝 Show Notes Exterro – https://www.exterro.com FTK Imager PRO –https://www.exterro.com/digital-forensics-software/ftk-imager-pro Exterro Inform – https://www.exterro.com/resources/exterro-inform FTK Podcasts – https://www.exterro.com/resources/ftk-over-the-air-podcast OpenAI Whisper (speech-to-text) – https://github.com/openai/whisper Ollama (local LLM framework) – https://ollama.ai Project VIC – https://www.projectvic.org CAID (UK) – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-abuse-image-database 👉 Follow Forensic Focus RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X (Twitter) | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus

    1h 8m

  7. 10/20/2025

    Inside F3: Building Community And Sharing Knowledge In Digital Forensics

    Gareth Davies, Chairman of F3 (First Forensic Forum), joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to explore how a grassroots, vendor-neutral community has helped shape digital forensics in the UK for three decades. He traces F3's origins in the 1990s, when affordable training and tool-agnostic knowledge-sharing were scarce, and explains why the forum still focuses on byte-level, lab-ready techniques over sales pitches. Looking ahead, Gareth previews F3's 2025 conference in Warwickshire (Nov 18–20), the not-for-profit pricing model, and upcoming trainings on UAVs, software-defined radio, implants/biomed devices, smartwatch and vehicle forensics, and video authentication/deepfakes. He also discusses international growth (including interest in an Australian chapter) and an open call for volunteers to help run events and keep training affordable. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #ForensicsTraining #IncidentResponse #VehicleForensics #CryberCrime #DigitalEvidence #DigitalInvestigtion #DigitalEvidence 👉 Visit Forensic Focus at https://www.forensicfocus.com 00:00 Introducing Gareth Davies 01:09 What is F3? 03:01 Gareth's Journey into Forensics 05:35 PhD and Research Work 06:54 Current Role and Responsibilities 09:08 Interesting Cases and Projects 12:27 Involvement with F3 14:41 F3's Global Reach and Community 20:03 Challenges and Future of F3 22:39 Personal Experiences and Networking 24:47 Becoming Chairman of F3 30:50 Upcoming F3 Event Details 35:28 Digital Forensics Teaching and Research 37:30 Upcoming F3 Training 42:38 Challenges in Digital Forensics 45:28 The Importance of Community and Resources 55:04 Personal Interests and Hobbies 57:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 🎥 Video/Transcript – https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-f3-building-community-and-sharing-knowledge-in-digital-forensics/ 📝 Show Notes F3 – First Forensic Forum website - https://f3.org.uk F3 – First Forensic Forum LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/f3.org.uk/ Spyder Forensics - https://www.spyderforensics.com Bénédictine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9n%C3%A9dictine APOLLO - https://github.com/mac4n6/APOLLO DFRWS - https://dfrws.org GCK File Signature Table - https://filesig.search.org NIST - https://www.nist.gov/itl/ssd/digital-forensics 👉 Follow Forensic Focus here: RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed/ YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus Website | https://www.forensicfocus.com

    1h 1m

  8. 10/01/2025

    Inside The Fight Against Child Exploitation – Leadership And Wellness Lessons From Debbie Garner

    Debbie Garner, retired Special Agent in Charge at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to share insights from her 30-year career. From undercover narcotics work in her early 20s to leading Georgia's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Debbie brings a unique perspective on collaboration, child protection, and investigator wellness. She discusses the challenges of cyber tips backlogs, the importance of cross-border cooperation, and why well-being must be built into the culture of child exploitation investigations. Debbie explains how she introduced practical, budget-conscious wellness initiatives — from group discussions to peer support and mental health check-ins — and how these efforts helped transform trust, retention, and resilience within her unit. Debbie and Paul also explore the stigma investigators often face, how leadership decisions can make or break support for officers, and what agencies can do to better safeguard the people safeguarding children. #DigitalForensics #DFIR #WellBeing #LawEnforcement #childprotection 👉 Visit Forensic Focus at https://www.forensicfocus.com 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:49 Early Career in Law Enforcement 02:11 Specialization in Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes 03:27 Challenges and Changes in Law Enforcement 06:03 The ICAC Task Force Program 09:34 Cross-Border Investigations and Cooperation 14:46 Wellness and Resiliency in Law Enforcement 18:01 Building a Culture of Wellness 28:16 Personal Stories and Agency Support 39:57 Final Thoughts and Advice 🎥 Video/Transcript - https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-the-fight-against-child-exploitation-leadership-and-wellness-lessons-from-debbie-garner/ 📝 Show Notes Innocent Justice Foundation - https://innocentjustice.org Raven (ICAC Task Force Funding Advocacy) - https://raven.us Hexordia - https://www.hexordia.com 👉 Follow Forensic Focus here: RSS | https://www.forensicfocus.com/feed YouTube | https://youtube.com/@ForensicFocus Podcast | https://forensicfocus.com/podcast LinkedIn Page | https://linkedin.com/company/forensicfocus LinkedIn Group | https://linkedin.com/groups/693917 X | https://x.com/ForensicFocus Facebook | https://facebook.com/forensicfocus Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/forensicfocus.bsky.social Instagram | https://instagram.com/forensicfocus TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@forensicfocus Mastodon | https://dfir.social/@forensicfocus Website | https://www.forensicfocus.com

    43 min
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About

Digital forensics discussion for computer forensics, DFIR and eDiscovery professionals. Visit Forensic Focus at forensicfocus.com for more.

Information

  • Creator
    Forensic Focus: Digital Forensics, Incident Response, DFIR
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Forensic Focus 2024
  • Show Website
    Forensic Focus