Forensic Focus

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

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

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

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

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