DFIR In 2025 – AI, Smart Devices And Investigator Well-Being
Release Date: 02/11/2025
Preparing Investigators For Trauma Exposure In Digital Forensics
Forensic Focus
📝 Complete the Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study: https://www.forensicfocus.com/survey Bunmi Bloom, co-founder of Sena Forensics, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to discuss the emotional reality of working in digital forensics and the psychological toll of long-term exposure to traumatic material. Drawing on her background with the Metropolitan Police and the Financial Conduct Authority, Bunmi reflects on how DFIR practitioners navigate disturbing images, case reports, and the pressure to “stay strong and get on with it.” The conversation explores coping mechanisms inside...
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Covert Cyber Investigator Well-Being With Carol Brooks
Forensic Focus
📝 Take The Surveys An Exploratory Study of Covert Cyber Investigators and the Psychological Factors Impacting on Personal Resilience and Investigative Decision-Making Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study 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...
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Forensic Focus International Well-Being Study - Have Your Say
Forensic Focus
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...
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Si And Desi’s Holiday Special 2025
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,...
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Oxygen Forensics On Smarter, Faster Remote DFIR Collections
Forensic Focus
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...
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The Idaho Murders: From Behavioural Clues To AI’s Role In Digital Forensics
Forensic Focus
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...
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Inside FTK Imager Pro: Vendor-Neutral Forensics, Smarter AI, And Exterro’s Forensic Vision
Forensic Focus
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...
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Inside F3: Building Community And Sharing Knowledge In Digital Forensics
Forensic Focus
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,...
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Inside The Fight Against Child Exploitation – Leadership And Wellness Lessons From Debbie Garner
Forensic Focus
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...
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Well-Being In Digital Forensics And Policing: Insights From Hannah Bailey
Forensic Focus
Hannah Bailey, founder of Blue Light Wellbeing, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to share her powerful journey from frontline policing to becoming a psychotherapist, trauma therapist, and well-being coach. Drawing on 15 years in the police — including CID and major crime — Hannah brings unique cultural credibility to her work supporting digital forensics professionals, first responders, and other high-risk roles. She talks openly about living with PTSD and burnout, facing two breast cancer diagnoses, and how those experiences inspired her to focus on proactive mental health support. Hannah...
info_outlineSi and Desi kick off 2025 with a deep dive into critical trends shaping digital forensics. They tackle pressing challenges such as AI-driven threats, including deepfakes and AI-generated images, and examine the security risks associated with connected devices. The discussion also explores the ongoing impact of the pandemic on mental health, remote work, and the forensic community's well-being.
With a focus on practical insights and support for forensic professionals, they cover evolving threats, emerging technologies, and the importance of mental resilience in the field. Stay tuned for updates on future podcast guests, conferences, and new tech developments.
Don't forget to check the show notes for resources, including mental health support services and recommended reading.
00:00 Welcome to 2025
01:10 AI in Law: Conference Insights from Luxembourg
03:07 The Impact of AI on Social Media and Deepfakes
05:03 AI-Generated Images
06:51 The Future of Digital Watermarking and Cybersecurity
11:59 Advancements in AI and Desktop Supercomputers
21:37 The Rise of Smart Home Devices and Security Concerns
23:16 Privacy Issues with Medical Devices and Data Collection
31:14 Predictive Algorithms and the Dystopian Future
32:12 Apple's Siri Payout
32:35 Films Predicting 2025
34:18 US Strategic Preparation Plans
37:04 Mental Health in 2024
44:08 Impact of Remote Work
51:17 The Role of Gossip in Society
59:19 Cyber Threats and Mental Health
01:01:05 Final Thoughts and Resources
Show Notes
NVIDIA Puts Grace Blackwell on Every Desk and at Every AI Developer’s Fingertips, Nvidia News - https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-puts-grace-blackwell-on-every-desk-and-at-every-ai-developers-fingertips
US man used AI to generate 13,000 child sexual abuse pictures, FBI alleges, The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/may/21/child-sexual-abuse-material-artificial-intelligence-arrest
Tasmanian jailed for possessing AI-generated child abuse material, AFP - https://www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/media-release/tasmanian-jailed-possessing-ai-generated-child-abuse-material
Raspberry Pi - https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-5/
Rise of killer robot fridges as experts warn kitchen appliances getting 'smarter', Daily Star - https://www.dailystar.co.uk/tech/rise-killer-robot-fridges-experts-34387400
‘I’m Possibly Alive Because It Exists:’ Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker, Vice - https://www.vice.com/en/article/im-possibly-alive-because-it-exists-why-sleep-apnea-patients-rely-on-a-cpap-machine-hacker/
Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die, Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25813952-raven-rock
While the Rest of Us Die: Secrets of America's Shadow Government, Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/While_the_Rest_of_Us_Die:_Secrets_of_America's_Shadow_Government
Sandy Hook Promise - https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/
The Selfish Gene, Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61535.The_Selfish_Gene
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23692271-sapiens
Unexpected Privacy Risks in CPAP Machine Updates, LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unexpected-privacy-risks-cpap-machine-updates-ryan-chalupovitsch-gh2kc/
Canceling the apocalypse? What can we learn from films set in 2025, The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/02/what-learn-movie-set-future
Forensic Focus Discord - https://discord.gg/97zKvTXHeS
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, these organisations may be of help:
Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org
Mind – https://www.mind.org.uk
Oscar Kilo – https://www.oscarkilo.org.uk/
Occupational health unit (OHU) – all police forces have access to an OHU providing a range of support services
Employee Assistance Scheme (EAS) – check with your employer to see what specific resources are available to you
GP – your GP can provide access to various local resources and make referrals to psychological support services
Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/