Digital Forensics Now

The AI Investigative Framework Interview with Heather Barnhart 02.06.2026 52Min.

Send us Fan Mail AI is becoming more common in digital forensics, but the biggest danger is people trusting it too much. Heather Barnhart discusses a framework that helps examiners assess when AI is appropriate, where it can assist with tasks like triage, and where it should not be used, while keeping trained human experts responsible for decisions. Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/heather-barnhart-cellebrite_ai-dfir-digitalforensics-ugcPost-7463670252950847488-b7s-/

Truth Crime Forensics 05.05.2026 49Min.

Send us Fan Mail “The tool said” might be the fastest way to lose a jury. Recorded live at IACIS, we sit down with Stacy Eldridge and Becky Passmore of Parsing The Truth One Bite At A Time, two former FBI senior forensic examiners who build a true crime-ish podcast around one thing most shows ignore: the digital artifacts and the courtroom testimony that prove what happened. https://parsingthetruth.com/

Live From the MSAB Digital Summit 2026! 17.03.2026 49Min.

Send us Fan Mail Tool output can look authoritative while still being dangerously easy to misread, and we’ve both seen how fast that goes sideways when a case hits court. Live from the MSAB Digital Summit 2026, we walk through a simple principle that saves careers: an artifact is a clue, not a conclusion. We talk about how “artifact worship” happens, how to build real corroboration, and why multiple records on the same phone are not automatically multiple lines of evidence. We also get hones...

From Wins to Wishlists: Digital Forensics Year in Review 08.01.2026 1Std. 22Min.

Send us Fan Mail A blue jay, a busted feeder, and a brand-new camera set the tone, but only briefly. We kick off the new year with updates from the Florida ICAC conference, including firsthand courtroom experience watching frame rate and frame count testimony in action. The episode centers on Frame Counts Galore, an open-source script for extracting and hashing every video frame, calculating true variable frame rates, and producing transparent, courtroom-ready logs and reports. We cover...

Brett Shavers Blogging Extravaganza! 30.10.2025 1Std. 14Min.

Send us Fan Mail This episode digs into the habits that actually hold up: learning from CTF wins and post-event reviews, exploring scholarships and Reno trainings that build technical muscle, and walking through expert-witness prep that turns courtroom stress into structured, confident testimony. We’ll unpack Brett Shavers’ reminder that truth alone doesn’t win cases—procedure, documentation, and bias-aware methods do. Clear writing matters too; vague language can undermine solid work. On the...

Blogs, blogs & blogs! 02.10.2025 1Std. 14Min.

Send us Fan Mail A baby camel, a high-speed chase, and a heartfelt tribute set the stage for a season opener that is equal parts human and hard-nosed. We pause to honor Mark Baker, mentor, officer, and friend. This episode spotlights a free Belkasoft AI course along with the much-anticipated release of Rabbit Hole v3, designed to tackle complex data structures. From there, it is all about blogs, and there are plenty of them. Mattia explores extraction nuances, showing how AFU versus BFU state...

DFN: 2nd Anniversary 29.08.2025 1Std. 4Min.

Send us Fan Mail We celebrate our two-year podcast anniversary and discuss the importance of thorough case preparation for CSAM cases, courtroom experience, and extracting evidence from iOS devices. • SANS Difference Maker Awards open for nominations through September 15th across multiple categories • AI debate webinar with Magnet Forensics scheduled for September 17th • Binary Hick's blogs reveal insights on iOS search party and Samsung's Rubin and Digital Wellbeing databases • Discussion o...

From Cryptic Apps to Clickable Maps: Making Sense of Digital Evidence 31.07.2025 1Std. 16Min.

Send us Fan Mail We're back! After a short break we are back to discuss the growing crossover between real-world events and digital evidence in court cases, highlighting how device data can make or break timelines in high-stakes investigations. This episode covers: Ian Whiffin’s latest forensic work, including iOS power log timestamps, Apple Health data reliability, iPhone battery temperature readings, and IR Doppler functionality – with examples of how these artifacts were used in a recent h...

Techno, Timeline, and Training Truths 26.06.2025 1Std. 6Min.

Send us Fan Mail We kick off this episode with highlights from the Techno Security Conference, our 80s-themed outfits, packed LEAPP labs, AI panel discussions, and great conversations with friends and colleagues across the field. We discuss Brett Shavers’ recent series on DFIR entry-level work, and share our thoughts on the need for better forensic training and clearer distinctions between forensics, cybersecurity, and incident response. We also talk about recent tool changes in the industry....

Every Breath You Take, Every Swipe You Make—Your iPhone’s Logging It 15.05.2025 1Std. 15Min.

Send us Fan Mail Apple devices are constantly recording user activity, yet few forensic examiners are making use of the vast amount of data these systems quietly generate. Apple's Unified Logs and Spotlight databases track nearly everything that happens on an iOS device, often without the user realizing it. Would you believe an iPhone can generate around 1.5 million log entries in just 15 minutes of regular use? These records include highly specific actions—such as the exact moment Face ID is...

Stomping Grounds: Digital Forensics at IACIS 2025 01.05.2025 32Min.

Send us Fan Mail The Digital Forensics Now podcast brings together the core LEAPPs developer team for a candid, unscripted conversation about mobile forensics, legal challenges, and the future of their tools during the IACIS conference in Orlando. • First time bringing together most of the LEAPPs development team in person • Florida's new requirement for 10-day search warrant renewals creates significant challenges for long-running forensic processes • Timestamp parameters in warrants can li...

The "Bear" Essentials of Digital Forensics 🐻 10.04.2025 1Std. 13Min.

Send us Fan Mail The digital forensics world isn’t slowing down — and neither are we. In this episode, we celebrate Heather’s well-deserved recognition as Cellebrite’s Mentor of the Year 2025. Naturally, there were a few speech mishaps and, somehow, a bear raiding Heather’s bird feeder (yes, actual wildlife). But between the chaos, we get serious about the fast-changing landscape of digital evidence collection. We dig into Amazon’s decision to remove the "do not send voice recordings" setting...

The Iceberg of Digital Evidence: What AI Can't See 06.03.2025 1Std. 6Min.

Send us Fan Mail The boundary between tool-dependent analysis and true forensic expertise grows increasingly blurred as AI enters the digital forensics landscape. Alexis Brignoni and Heather Charpentier reunite after a month-long hiatus to sound the alarm on a concerning trend: the integration of generative AI into forensic tools without adequate safeguards for verification and validation. Drawing from Stacey Eldridge's firsthand experience, they reveal how AI outputs can be dangerously inco...

Mind Matters: Navigating DFIR with Balance 23.01.2025 1Std. 3Min.

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a hands-on look at digital forensics and the challenges professionals tackle every day. We share a story about forensic guessing that highlights the importance of testing assumptions and following the evidence to avoid errors. The discussion emphasizes how staying grounded in facts can prevent investigations from going off track. We also highlight advancements in forensic tools and training. Learn about tools like Belkasoft, the UFADE tool for iOS device extract...

New Year, New Discoveries: Diving into Digital Forensics! 02.01.2025 1Std. 16Min.

Send us Fan Mail Kick off your new year with some forensic fun as we recount our holiday escapades and dive into the latest in digital forensics! Ever wondered how RAM dumps from Android devices can reveal crucial data? We spotlight MSAB's innovative RAMalyzer tool and their new blog series covering RAM from mobile devices. Discover how the digital forensics community is collaborating to propel the field forward, as we share insights from the DF Pulse 2024 Digital Forensic Practitioner...

The Gift of Expertise: Why Forensics Matter in the Courtroom 12.12.2024 1Std. 19Min.

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a holiday-themed episode of Digital Forensics Now, where we blend expert insights with personal stories from the field of digital forensics. This episode delves into cutting-edge tools and techniques for digital forensics. Explore insights from Arsenal on advanced methods for analyzing swap space and memory files. We also share experiences with the Samsung Secure Health Data Parser, highlighting the challenges of decrypting health databases and the critical role o...

BFU Data, Forensic Tools, and the Future of Digital Investigations 21.11.2024 1Std. 17Min.

Send us Fan Mail The latest episode of Digital Forensics Now kicks off with lighthearted banter about Heather's newfound fame in commercials, bringing a fun and relatable start to a tech-heavy discussion. Following the laughs, the conversation shifts to an invigorating recap of Alexis' recent experience at SANS DFIRCON, featuring interactions with digital forensics luminaries like Brian Maloney and Ian Whiffin. Ian's ArtEx tool, which cleverly maps locations for forensic investigations, also ...

iOS 18’s Inactivity Reboots Explained: AFU to BFU Transitions with Chris Vance from Magnet Forensics 14.11.2024 1Std. 2Min.

Send us Fan Mail Join us on the Digital Forensics Now podcast as we explore the details of the iOS 18 inactivity reboot issue with mobile forensics expert Christopher Vance from Magnet Forensics. Chris traces the origins of this challenge back to iOS 17 and explains how unified logs play a key role in diagnosing these system memory resets. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in the inner workings of iOS devices and the unique considerations they present in digi...

AI in Court: Testimony or Tech-tastrophe? 17.10.2024 1Std. 14Min.

Send us Fan Mail Could AI in forensic analysis be more of a liability than an asset? Join us as we explore this pressing concern. We kick off this episode with an important update for those dealing with Android extractions. Recent changes to the Android OS and Google Play Store might be causing the Keystore (secrets.json) file to either miss data or not be extracted at all. This brings attention to the vital role decryption keys play in accessing data from mobile devices. Next, we dive...

Awareness Unlocks Discovery: Knowing It Exists is the First Step to Finding It 03.10.2024 1Std. 5Min.

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we discuss the latest blogs and training opportunities available to keep you at the forefront of digital forensics. We’ll then dive into the release of iOS 18 and its impact on digital forensic investigations. Beyond tools and gadgets, we'll explore the shift towards cloud-based evidence storage, weighing its benefits and security challenges against traditional air-gapped networks. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey, this episode ...