Ripping the Band-Aid Off DF/IR
Someone in DF/IR is going to testify in a trial in 2026. Actually, it will be many. And some are going to regret every second on the stand. Are you going to be one of them? There are things in this field that people don’t talk about. Not in conference…
Read MoreFighting City Hall: DF/IR Lessons from a Pro Se Plaintiff. One judgment, two years saved, half a million reasons it was worth it.
Here’s the short version: The litigation record showed large numbers of systems that were not searched, devices that could not be accounted for, and a workstation that was reported as ‘dead’ shortly after my request. The production showed thousands of…
Read MoreI Was There When Digital Forensics Lost Its Soul.
We built an assembly line of bots to learn forensics and forgot why the field existed in the first place. The Origin Story We Forgot Before anyone called it “digital forensics,” it was just investigation. Law enforcement investigators, not academics or…
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I screwed up so you don’t have to
I recently posted on LinkedIn (How to wreck your report, affidavit, and testimony with one word.) about how one word can wreck your report, affidavit, or testimony. The word was deleted. That post got a lot of article views. Probably because we are all…
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When the Investigation Gets Lost in the Machine
Somewhere along the way, we stopped investigating people and started interrogating machines. I harp constantly on this topic because it is important. I’ve seen investigations where the goal was clear. Follow the evidence to the truth and the technical…
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AI in DF/IR: Who is first to pull the rip cord?
I’m all for AI when and if it benefits DF/IR. If it makes us faster, sharper, or more accurate, bring it on, I’m here for it. But the risk is if we charge ahead without caution, we don’t just risk losing the parts of AI that don’t work for DF/IR. We risk…
Read MoreEvery Monster Leaves Teeth Marks. Some Go to the Bone.
I just came across a job ad for an ICAC digital forensic examiner. For minutes, I thought about applying. Talk about a strong pull the requirements had/have on me… To be honest, I still think about constantly…I used to chase monsters like that job calls…
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DF/IR Isn’t About Computers. It’s About Hunting Humans.
Data is the trail. Humans are the quarry. This is my opinion response to a solid LinkedIn post that asks a very important question: “How do we fix DF/IR so different paths don’t lead to different answers?” (paraphrased) Humans first. Technology second.…
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Lazy* police work results in arresting an innocent person.
Aka: The Machine did its job. The lazy* human did not. https://petapixel.com/2025/08/28/new-york-police-nypd-facial-recognition-tech-blunder-leads-to-62-man-jailed-for-crime-by-56-suspect/ Stop Worshipping the Magic Box Here’s the creeping cancer…
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Courtroom Trials Are the Final Exam for Your Work. Why Haven’t You Attended One?
Every digital forensic examiner, eDiscovery professional, and evidence handler eventually faces the same reality: the courtroom is where your work either stands or collapses. Yet, many in our field have never even sat through a trial, hearing, or…
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