U.S. Customs and Border Protection is charged with securing the nation’s borders and ensuring that trade and travel regulations are followed. They detect, identify, prohibit, and apprehend individuals with ties to terrorism. They also police the smuggling of humans, narcotics, weapons, bulk cash, and other prohibited or restricted merchandise [1]. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents’ job is imperative to the nation’s security, without their work many illegal activities would go undetected. 

At one time or another, law enforcement agencies find themselves investigating child sexual abuse material. Now more than ever there are a variety of ways in which this material is distributed amongst persons and online. It has become a priority to provide investigators with the tools necessary to identify and report on these materials. 

You may have heard a bit about the dark web and how it is used for illicit activities such as buying and selling drugs, firearms, or other illegal items. But this is only part of the problem. The dark web has much more to offer a malicious user than criminals looking to sell stolen items. The dark web provides anonymous users the ability to stalk children, steal identities, and do many more criminal activities. 

Video forensic software assists in this task of analyzing and reviewing evidence obtained from a target device such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Proper video forensics software allows users to identify objects and people in the video, recreate events, and understand how a crime was committed. Video forensics tools will aid in recovering electronically stored videos from devices and filtering them in a manner that is rapid and easily accessible to users. 

Video forensics tools help forensic analysts by providing a way to enhance and analyze video footage. These tools can improve the quality of video footage, make it easier to identify objects and people in the video, and determine the sequence of events.

Photo forensics plays an important role in investigations. Increased access to electronic devices and growing social media platforms mean photos can be an important factor in an investigation.

Digital image forensics is the process of identifying and analyzing digital images for the purpose of providing legal evidence. This process can be used to investigate a wide variety of crimes, including child abuse, identity theft, and copyright infringement. Today’s digital era has caused images and videos to become a source of information and entertainment [1].

As technology continues to change, police departments must look for ways to increase efficiency and management, and one area that requires continuous innovation is police evidence management.

ADF software is deployed in field and lab investigations of smartphones, computers, and devices and is used by digital first responders to quickly collect, identify and report on digital evidence - thereby reducing or eliminating forensic backlogs that many agencies and organizations face today. Organizations have come to rely on ADF’s revolutionary digital investigation approach to solve their forensic backlog problems.

Probation and parole officers may find themselves overwhelmed and with limited resources when it comes to supervising a multitude of offenders. The number of offenders on federal supervised release tripled to approximately 115,000 between the years 1995 and 2015 [1]. New innovations in technology have added to the pressures of community supervision.

Compassionate policing involves law enforcement engaging with their community through the process of building collaborative relationships, mutual trust and respect, common interests, and a sense of shared responsibility [1]. Continuous exposure to confrontation and work stressors may result in an officer's inability to cope with the pressures, and therefore a loss of compassion when dealing with the public. This can lead to strained relationships with the citizens of the community. Compassionate policing goes beyond just the officers and extends to organizations as a whole. Its ideas and practices may also be applied to digital forensics and incident response.  

Investigating events may require the use of experts and professionals from a variety of fields. Evidence gathered at a crime scene could call for analysis by several disciplines such as DNA, drug chemistry, weapons, cyber security, and digital forensics. It is important for law enforcement agencies and corporations to have access to the proper digital forensics services and tools. Evidence obtained from devices following established guidelines by professionals who have digital forensics training strengthens the validity of the evidence and aids in the prosecution of suspects. In this post, we highlight why digital forensics is important when investigating events and how digital forensic services can help you. 

In a technology-dependent society, many of our daily tasks involve an electronic device. Our activity on these devices is stored and can be traced back to its source with the use of computer forensic software. A multitude of crimes are committed in which suspects unknowingly have some trace of evidence left on their electronic devices. This makes digital evidence collection possible. Evidence can come in a variety of forms such as photos, searched items, audio-video files, web history, and more. Even files that have been deleted can often be retrieved again by investigators with the use of computer forensic software. 

The Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) is at the forefront of combating global human trafficking. ATII harnesses the power of corporate social responsibility by working with organizations to raise awareness, build intelligence, and foster technology advancements and strategic data collaboration to help stop human trafficking.

Computer forensic software is a key tool used by forensic investigators during digital evidence collection. This software aims to allow forensic investigators to identify, collect, and analyze data quickly and efficiently. There are two types of computer forensics: network forensics and host-based forensics. Network forensics focuses on the investigation of network traffic and session information. Host-based forensics collects and analyzes individual computer systems [1]. Computer forensic software should provide range and flexibility in its use so that a variety of law enforcement entities and corporate companies can apply it in investigations. ADF’s computer forensic software accomplishes this task, among many others.

When it comes to accessing digital data across devices, mobile phones are easily the most common devices that law enforcement, businesses, and military personnel will deal with. In the past, accessing critical files (e.g., law enforcement cases, business intelligence, etc.) involved physically unlocking and searching through devices. The problem, of course, is that accessing smartphones by physically entering the device can lead to data loss, file access issues, and an incomplete view of the device's digital archive.

Even though Digital Forensics has expanded its capabilities and use-cases since its inception, it is constantly evolving and you need to be prepared for the changes coming. New features on computers and smartphones are causing existing digital forensics features to be outdated and unreliable when investigating. New crimes are being committed and the tools in existence are not capable of collecting and processing that sort of evidence yet. But not to worry, there are many companies out there researching tools to handle investigations in critical areas of development. Here are 5 key areas you want to make sure your team has the most up-to-date technology and the most experienced training.

This week, hundreds of cyber security and digital forensic experts gathered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to participate in the Techno Security and Digital Forensics Conference. The event hosted at the Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes offered attendees the ability to receive Continuing Professional Education Credits (CPE) depending on their organization. 

Digital forensic investigations can be expensive. The price can range from $2000 to well over $100,000 for forensic tools and training [1].

The most common reasons why digital forensics tends to get expensive are: 

• inexperienced/untrained users
• outdated systems
• challenges with acquiring systems
• systems that don't talk to one another
• timing in the collection or reviewing of evidence
• reporting

Getting the "big picture" of a case is challenging when digital forensic data is spread across different disparate evidence types or a large of media sources. Experts from several leading forensic companies shared best practices for collecting, analyzing, and reporting on evidence from multiple mobile phones, a drone, and several vehicles used in a fictional homicide investigation related to suspected fentanyl trafficking. The speakers were:

Here's a list of five of the best 2022 digital forensics conferences around the world designed to help promote training and skills needed to collect and analyze digital evidence from computers and mobile devices.  

Note: The COVID-19 Pandemic is causing some digital forensic conferences to be moved online to virtual events. Other events are getting postponed or canceled. Please check with the individual conference organizer to verify dates and locations. 

ADF digital forensic software and triage software are deployed worldwide by investigators and lab examiners to speed the investigation of mobile phones, tablets, computers, and storage devices. ADF technology software helps digital first responders quickly collect, identify and report on digital evidence - thereby reducing or eliminating forensic backlogs that many agencies and organizations face today.   

Many are not aware of the common threats/investigations that officers, analysts, and investigators face on-scene or in the lab and how computer forensics software can help solve these investigations.

The Global Forensic and Justice Center hosted a panel on The Value of Digital Evidence in Combatting Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking. The panelists included:

• Alexandria Wong, Digital Media (DOMEX) Trainer with the Global Forensic and Justice Center and FIU
• Sondra Skelaney, Gender Violence Prevention Program Coordinator with CASE and FIU
• Ailsa Slack, Director of Customer Success of ADF Solutions.

The panel focused on the role of technology, forensics, and digital evidence and revolved around four central questions which are highlighted below along with the key points discussed by the panel of subject matter experts.

When investigating computer crimes and being called on to conduct computer forensics or forensic phone analysis in the field, it is good to be ready for whatever comes your way. One phrase you commonly hear when talking to anyone in the cybercrime arena is “there has to be more than one tool in the toolbox”, and this is a very true statement, no one tool does it all, and all tools do it slightly differently. You do not use a large Phillips screwdriver to remove a small screw from a picture frame and you do not use an eyeglass screwdriver to remove a wood screw, this is because you know your tools and your toolbox.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched the ICAC Task Force program in 1998 to help law enforcement learn how to prevent, combat and investigate Internet Crimes Against Children.  ICAC Task Force training is scheduled regionally across the United States each year. 

The ICAC conferences are announced each year and include training and events held in:

Digital forensics is the science of recovering files, artifacts, and evidence from digital devices including mobile phones, tablets, computers (including Windows, Mac, and Linux), external drives, drive images, and other media storage (USB flash drives, memory cards, etc.). 

When starting an investigation we start thinking about what we need or who we need to contact when it comes to specific crime types. As investigators we do this second nature, it is a process that just happens, and if we have never investigated a certain crime it can be overwhelming at times. Specific crimes often need specialized training and have agencies that may need to be contacted for assistance. When it comes to the digital evidence we also start thinking of the steps that need to be taken and how we are going to put things together. Let’s not let this be overwhelming as well.

January brings awareness to Human Trafficking, a crime that involves exploiting a person for labor, services, or commercial sex. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking and it is not only limited to the exploitation of children. Human trafficking is a global problem and can occur just about anywhere, and often involves multiple jurisdictions, whether local, state, or international.

Stopping human trafficking and modern slavery is a priority for many law enforcement agencies around the world, with specialized investigators leading the fight. The Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign defines human trafficking as involving the "use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations."

ADF tools have the ability to scan all available Mac computers (M1 and T2 chips) with all types of encryption and virtual drives by running a remote agent that communicates with the desktop application. 

We at ADF are always proud to showcase our partners from around the world and introduce their unique perspectives on digital and cyber forensics. We are proud to highlight and share the thoughts of one of our newest ADF Partners, Cindy Vazquez at DG Forensiks in Mexico City, Mexico.

Investigating crimes against children has been at the forefront of law enforcement’s initiatives to dedicate the specialized manpower and equipment in order to battle this issue. It is not an easy issue to tackle as it manifests in many different ways and sometimes requires three or more specialized units working together to bring the offenders to justice and then another specialized unit to manage the offenders after release. On top of all the investigation time, we add digital devices to the mix, used to commit and perpetrate these crimes. When it comes time to conduct a search warrant, knock and talk, interview, or victim/witness statement, investigators need a solution to find the relevant data, minimize the number of devices brought back to the lab, minimize the impact to victims, witnesses, and innocent family members. 

Check out our law top law enforcement webinars.

During a criminal investigation, prioritizing the evidence is paramount to your success as an investigator. Filtering what is critical to the case and what isn't is the difference between the success and failure of an investigation. 

Forensic triage - sometimes referred to as "digital forensic triage" - is the process by which you collect, assemble, analyze, and prioritize digital evidence from a crime or investigation.

The ADF Solutions suite of products are designed to get you to the relevant information in your digital forensic investigation, in a short amount of time so that decisions can be made. We at ADF understand that every department, agency, task force, or company is not going to be the same and therefore a cookie cutter approach to collecting the data is not appropriate for the task at hand. Our products, such as Digital Evidence Investigator for computer forensics and Mobile Device Investigator for mobile forensics give you the ability to obtain data from devices with different methods so that you can zero in on your targeted information with speed and accuracy. PRO versions combine both computer and mobile in one product.

As the world’s financial systems advance in digital technology and cryptocurrency, the need for digital forensics grows greater. The use of blockchain technology has allowed crimes to go undetected through the eyes of a regular investigator. These crimes no longer take months of in-depth planning and deception before executing but can now be committed within minutes because of the processing power of computers and the speed of the internet. Crimes such as:

The 2021 Northwest Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Conference has returned this year. The conference is a multi-state, multi-disciplinary Internet Crimes Against Children event which provides training to prosecutors, digital forensic examiners, sheriffs, police investigators and ICAC Task Force members.  

Dates: October 6-8, 2021

Location: Redmond, WA

There are many ways to learn digital forensics. From Certified Training to short How-To videos designed to teach you skills in just a few minutes. One of our favorite forms of learning, however, is our one-hour digital forensic best practices webinars led by our Director of Training, Richard T. Frawley. Rich spent 22 years in law enforcement. Most of that time was as a digital forensic analyst. Here are some of our favorite learning webinars from this year:

Within ADF software and forensic triage products, including Digital Evidence Investigator, Triage-Investigator, or Triage-G2, an investigator can quickly find Dark Web traces. This can be done in Quick Profiles but in this video, Rich Frawley shows how to use an Intermediate Profile to triage a suspect machine to identify Dark Web traces. These can be found in ADF's Anti-Forensic Traces Capture. 

In this 3-minute "How To" video, you'll learn the benefits of having a digital forensic triage process that works from field to lab. Using ADF digital forensic tools, examiners can prepare field investigators to find digital evidence and intelligence on mobile phones, tablets, computers, and storage devices starting on-scene. 

The 2021 Crimes Against Children Conference will be the 33rd annual conference organized by the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center (DCAC) and the Dallas Police Department. More than just another law enforcement conference, the event brings together child advocacy, child protective services, and law enforcement investigators.   

Dates: August 9 -13, 2021

Register for the CACC conference. 

Live sessions will be held from the 9th to the 13th of August, 2021 with content available to registrants through December 17, 2021. 

The Encrypt backup feature in iTunes locks and encodes your information. In this short How To video, Director of Training, Rich Frawley shows investigators how to remove the known iTunes backup password, if required.

On-scene, it can be impractical for investigators to seize all the digital devices they locate so investigators that are able to triage on-scene only seize devices with relevant data.

Without digital forensic triage, investigators have to collect every device. 

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO) has announced the dates for the NCCC  2021 National Cyber Crime Conference (MASS.gov).

At the scene of any crime or incident it is important to protect and collect evidence. There are different types of evidence, including physical and digital. ADF Solutions focuses on retrieving digital evidence from devices starting on-scene. 

Digital Forensic Triage is the process of finding digital evidence important for investigations.

ADF Solutions mobile phone forensic software makes it easier to quickly collect digital evidence from smartphones and tablets with the Digital Forensic screenshot feature in Mobile Device Investigator or ADF PRO tools. 

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives in many ways, including our ability to give back. In the midst of the holiday season, this is a time where people often reflect on the year and contemplate giving. So often, many of us volunteer at food pantries, organize toy drives, participate in charity fun runs, or find ways to participate in community service with others. 

When I began my career in Law Enforcement I had no idea I would end up one day investigating computer crimes, let alone be a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE), a designation issued by the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS). The process to achieve the CFCE status consisted of 2 weeks of a bootcamp style indoctrination in the computer forensics world, a world that was only being taught by Law Enforcement at the time and which was followed by a year of completing peer reviewed problem sets as well as a comprehensive final exam. The process to become a CFCE, which was difficult and rewarding, and it was entirely managed by the volunteers who taught and mentored me. 

At ADF, we are mission driven. We are delighted to serve those who serve and some of our most exciting times are when we are adding new features and capabilities, when we learn how they are being used, and of course, on launch days. We hope you'll love what we've created.

When collecting digital evidence, speed is often the name of the game, such as when you are serving a search warrant, dealing with a mass casualty incident, working a consent search, or trying to ascertain where to focus your efforts when dealing with multiple devices. When dealing with these types of use cases, one-dimensional or one size fits all evidence collection, will not pass muster and you need the ability to cut through the noise and get to the relevant information fast. 

Getting ready to work off site, out of the lab, out of your office, and in someone else's domain is never an easy task. Whether it's a search warrant, in a client's office, suspect's residence, or some other off-site location, being prepared is the key to your success as a digital forensic investigator.

ADF Authorized Partner, First Digital & Techno-Law Forensics and the Computer Forensics Institute of Nigeria are hosting the International Digital, Mobile and Computer Forensics Conference & Training Expo as a virtual edition.

The conference, also known as DIGIFOR2020 will be held September 23-25, 2020 and will feature sessions including:

ADF prioritizes digital evidence collection and provides investigators and examiners post-scan options to speed investigations. Post scan options let digital forensic investigators get fast and relevant evidence to make decisions on-scene and in the forensic lab.

Are you ready for a big one? Anticipating what your evidence collection needs will be while you are on-scene includes trying to ascertain how many electronic devices you will encounter. ADF makes it easy for you to be prepared. 

Anyone who is charged with a "knock and talk" or executing a search warrant knows that the ability to overcome and adapt on-scene is vital to a successful outcome. This is what drove ADF to empower investigators to be able to create a digital evidence Collect

ion Key (CKY). 

ADF launches New Law Enforcement Capabilities to Speed Modern Slavery Investigations  

Bethesda, Maryland: ADF Solutions’ new Anti-Human Trafficking Search Profiles were built in conjunction with the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) to help law enforcement quickly identify and investigate human trafficking at the scene of the crime. 

Learn how to easily remove CSAM images and other properties from view

One of the most important factors in a child exploitation investigation, is having the ability to show a report to a colleague, co-worker, prosecutor, or present to present your findings in court without re-victimizing the subject of the photo, or shocking the sense of the viewer of the report. Having a professional report that still reflects the properties that need to be presented is essential to your case.

Digital Forensic Investigators and Examiners need to be able to find evidence quickly and one of the ways that ADF provides this capability is using PhotDNA. 

Industry Events: Network, Learn, Grow

Here's a list of the best 2021 digital forensic conferences around the world designed to help promote training and skills needed to collect and analyze digital evidence from computers and mobile devices.  

Note: The COVID-19 Pandemic is causing some digital forensic conferences to be moved online to virtual events. Other events are getting postponed or cancelled. Please check with the individual conference organizer to verify dates and locations. 

The Best Digital Forensic Conferences of the Year - with COVID-19 Pandemic Updates

Below is a list of some of our favorite annual conferences which are in addition to our list of 2020 Law Enforcement Conferences in North America.  

Note: The COVID-19 Pandemic is causing some digital forensic conferences to be moved online to virtual events. Other events are getting postponed or cancelled. Please check with the individual conference organizer to verify dates and locations. 

An increasing number of investigations in the United Kingdom involves financial transactions using Revolut. The company claims the Revolut app is "The UK's fastest growing financial super app" and it is now available in the United States. 

Jim, we want to thank you for the time you’ve taken to chat with us about your work and about your expertise in the areas of white collar and cyber crime. It’s an area ADF is proud to support investigators in. Your work with NW3C covers areas of white collar cyber crime such as fraud, bribery, money laundering, and more. We’ve been proud to partner with NW3C before in our joint webinar and most recently in your Capture the Flag competition!

Gina: How did your background, and 25 years of service in the United States Marine Corps Military police, prepare you for what you’re doing now?

Today’s smartphones, tablets, and computers are faster, smarter, and capable of holding more and more data than ever before. They offer more storage and the ability to connect to the cloud and to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.  

Faced with more and more data, more and more police forces are adopting forensic triage methodologies to handle digital evicence on-scene, in the lab, or both in the field and lab. 

What is CEM

In Australian states and territories, CEM refers to “Child Exploitation Material”, otherwise known as child abuse material, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and child pornography. For digital forensic examiners, telecommunications-based child exploitation includes viewing, copying, downloading, sending, exchanging, soliciting, and making CEM. 

In our series on our Culture Code, I want to dive into the first “E” in our LEGEND - Engage and Energize! While last time I explained how ADF as a whole leads and learns, this time I thought I’d highlight one of our team members who I think truly exemplifies the idea of engagement and energy both within the company and within the field of digital forensics; Rich Frawley, our Digital Forensic Specialist. Chances are you know Rich already from ADF’s free short How To videos, his engaging and thoughtful webinars, or through his assistance in technical enablement and support. 

One year ago today, we launched Mobile Device Investigator^Ⓡ (MDI), ADF’s powerful mobile phone forensic software that allows anyone, from seasoned investigators to non-technical team members, to quickly conduct iOS and Android investigations in the field. Using MDI, investigators can acquire evidence fast and return devices to cooperating witnesses on-scene, and triage devices that need to be seized and brought back to the forensic lab. 

We’re living in a wild time right now with the Coronavirus changing work for millions of people across the US and worldwide. All of a sudden, people who worked in offices are now working remotely. Your commute is nonexistent, leaving more time to sleep and less incentive to get up and moving as before - especially on a rainy day. 

Today’s investigators and prosecutors are very familiar with the extreme difficulty in child exploitation cases: getting through your forensic backlog to get to the data in time. Law enforcement officers routinely report that a lack of technology which, combined with stringent time limits, can severely restrict their ability to check devices in a timely manner. ADF understands that digital forensic examinations can be both costly and time-consuming, which hampers investigations into suspects that have downloaded or participated in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). 

ADF Solutions Introduces Field Investigator™ for Teams

There’s a new way to give digital forensic examiners control of investigations and empower non-technical front-line investigators. Meet Field Investigator™ for Teams, the best way to deploy digital forensic triage capabilities to agents for on-scene digital evidence collection and analysis.

The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) recently kicked off a weekly Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. Individuals can join the free challenge to hone their digital forensic skills and test their knowledge. 

Knowledge is power. At ADF, we strive to empower our users and prospective users by giving you easy access to free tutorials and knowledge base articles. We’ve received rave reviews for our short How To videos, so we wanted to share another way investigators can get support - the ADF Knowledge Base. 

It's a known issue that many agencies and departments are facing worldwide; how to fight and reduce backlog to stay up to date on cases so that they don't get stale. It's a serious issue, but we at ADF can show you a few ways to fight in-house forensic backlog with digital forensic triage.

How We Lead

Our mentality at ADF is that in order to grow as a company, and as human beings (who doesn’t want to get better?), everyone has to find ways to both lead and learn. ADF’s co-founders led the way by developing DOMEX and digital forensic triage tools 15 years ago.

Putting Victims First. That’s the message that Richard W. Brown, the CEO of Project VIC International impressed upon me when I had the opportunity to speak to him about how and why he helped found the non-profit organization which helps law enforcement agencies around the world fight child exploitation. 

As the COVID-19 virus spreads around the world, ADF Solutions has been working to respond with urgency and empathy. Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, customers, partners, prospects and everyone’s families. 

You first met LEO in September 2018 when ADF shared an announcement about the upcoming Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas. We came up with the idea of LEO one day when our team was sharing stories about the many successes our Law Enforcement customers were having using our digital forensic software to quickly solve crimes. 

RAM, short for Random Access Memory, is physical hardware that temporarily stores data for quick read and write access. Think of RAM as a scratch pad you use while working; although all the information you need and may refer to is stored in a binder (in this analogy, your hard drive), the information on the scratch pad is what you are using and need right in the moment. With RAM, it is right there for you to access. While RAM helps with the speed and efficiency of the computer, it can all be lost in an instant as it is volatile.

The Child Abuse Image Database (CAID) is the United Kingdom’s national system used by law enforcement to help fight the growing problem of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The system helps police detect, flag and analyse illegal digital media images. 

With the spread of COVID-19 the last few weeks have been challenging to say the least. There has been a lot of information to digest, a lot of opinions to muddle through, and now many disruptions to our daily lives. And now, millions more people are working from home. 

The inaugural conference for Virginia police, sheriffs, prosecutors, digital forensics investigators, and cybercrime specialists was held last week at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. The first-ever CIIFER conference (which stands for Cyber-attacks, Internet Investigations, Forensic Analysis, and Electronic Records) featured training from industry professionals, university professors, and Commonwealth attorneys. 

Gina: Charissa, thank you for taking the time to chat with me. As a young female in business, your work ethic and drive have been an inspiration! What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?

ADF is delighted to announce the work we did with the 114th Partnership to create a new Spark 101 STEM Skills video titled "Computational Thinking in Forensic Software Development." The video highlights careers in the digital forensics field and is available as a free resource to teachers seeking to foster students' interest in careers in STEM:

Child pornography- more properly identified as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). It’s appalling that there is a need for a definition for this kind of material. U.S. Federal Law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor- meaning any person less than 18 years old. 

Nearly 1,000 homicide investigators from across California gathered this week at the 51st annual California Homicide Investigator (CHIA) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 3-day training event, sponsored by ADF, featured case presentations and investigator training from leading prosecutors and investigators. 

ADF computer triage has long been admired for some of the best digital forensic triage capabilities on the market. Since 2006, ADF digital forensic experts have been building triage tools to empower investigators to quickly collect evidence and on-scene intelligence from computers and digital devices.

In this how-to video, we will cover backing up and scanning encrypted iOS devices. This skill is important to know because encrypted iOS backups return more data than unencrypted backups.

Looking to add key words on-scene? ADF has you covered. In this how-to video, investigators and analysts will learn how to add keywords directly from the Collection Key. As a digital evidence investigator, ADF provides the ability to create a collection key with or without Search Profiles and add keywords just before the start of a scan.

Our digital forensic specialist knows that as someone who used to go out and execute search warrants and conduct knock and talks, the ability to overcome and adapt on-scene is vital to a successful outcome. In this how-to video, Rich explains how to create a Collection Key without Search Profiles and how to add keywords prior to starting a scan from the Collection Key. 

ADF Solutions Releases New Digital Forensic Software to Power Field Investigations

Triage digital evidence with a single license for smartphones, tablets, and computers

ADF Solutions, the leading provider of automated forensic software for investigators and lab examiners, today announced new software versions for Digital Evidence Investigator^Ⓡ, Triage-Investigator^Ⓡ,  Triage-G2^Ⓡ, and Mobile Device Investigator^Ⓡ software.

This blog post will feature our Settings page, and tips and tricks to understanding it. The first thing users will notice on the settings page is the Backed-Up Licenses. This displays all licenses that have been backed up on this computer. When selecting a license it will display all the information pertaining to that license and also enable users to delete the license from the backed up licenses folder. Additionally, the information here can be used when making a support call or using the support portal.

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO) has announced the dates for the NCCC  2020 National Cyber Crime Conference (MASS.gov).

We could have just written a mission statement. Maybe we’d throw in some core values, and hit you with some motivational quotes from great thought leaders. We could have done that, but that’s not the ADF way. ADF is an innovator, so we took those ideas and went further. Meet our Culture Code: a living, breathing set of standards, principles, values, and goals that we put our hearts and souls into as a team, because we are #AllinForensics. 

Our newest How-To video will cover how to image from either the Desktop tool or the USB device (Collection Key) on a Boot and Live Scan. 

When using ADF tools to collect files, either by File Properties, Hashes, or Keywords, ADF tools provide  three methods for file identification:

Software updates are something we look forward to, and when we receive that new download from our go-to tool, it makes the day even more special.  When it comes time to upgrade or re-install ADF software, as a user, you do not want your data to be lost after either the software upgrade or when selecting a new Search Profile folder.

When you first start the ADF application you will notice the tool will look to see if any new data needs to be merged or migrated.

Mobile Device Investigator (MDI) is the leading digital forensic triage tool for iOS and Android devices. In this short "How To" video, ADF's digital forensic specialist and trainer, Rich Frawley, will show you how to create a Search Profile with MDI. 

ADF's digital forensic team will be participating in the First Forensic Forum (F3) annual conference and training workshop. The 19th annual event will take place November 12-14, 2019 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. 

The U.S. Department of Justice launched the ICAC Task Force program in 1998 to help law enforcement learn how to prevent, combat and investigate Internet Crimes Against Children.  ICAC Task Force training is often held annually within regions across the United States. 

COVID-19 Announcement: Due to the global pandemic, many conferences are being rescheduled. Please check the event websites before making any travel plans and stay safe.

The 2020 ICAC conferences are announced each year and include training and events held in:

The 2020 Northwest Regional ICAC Conference, has been announced for October 5-9, 2020. The conference is a multi-state, multi-disciplinary Internet Crimes Against Children event which provides training to prosecutors, digital forensic examiners, sheriffs, police investigators and ICAC Task Force members.  

The 2020 Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas, will be the 32nd annual conference organized by the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center and the Dallas Police Department. More than just a law enforcement conference, the event brings together child protection, advocacy and investigators. The event will be held online this year instead of at the usual Sheraton Dallas Hotel location.   

Dates: August 10-13, 2020

Register for the Dallas CACC conference. 

COVID-19 UPDATE: This year's event will be held virtually. 

October 2019 kicks off with the 5th Annual Northwest Regional ICAC Conference, a multi-state, multi-disciplinary event designed to provide lecture and lab training to prosecutors, digital forensic lab examiners, and law enforcement investigators focused on the investigation and prosecution of technology and Internet facilitated crimes against children. 

In this short 5 minute video, you'll learn how to filter digital forensic scan results in ADF software. Filtering is available in any table while analyzing any of your scan results. In this how-to video, we'll look at:

Investigators can leverage ADF digital forensic software on the front-line to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases

Learn how to quickly scan iOS devices, smartphones or tablets, in this 2 minute short "How To" video created by Rich Frawley, our Director of Digital Forensic Training. Rich will walk you through how to attach and scan an iOS device with Mobile Device Investigator® (MDI) using an iPhone.

This week, nearly 1,000 law enforcement professionals from across the United States and around the world are meeting in Jacksonville, Florida for to discuss and discover new technologies designed to promote public safety, police safety and policing techniques. 

As you get started performing an advanced logical forensic acquisition of an Android device with Mobile Device Investigator^®, you will want to learn how to attach an Android device to your forensic computer. This short video will show you how you can quickly and easily collect digital evidence from Android mobile phones and tablets. 

The 2019 Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina will take place June 2-5 at the Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes.  Attendees will have the ability to receive Continuing Professional Education Credits (CPE) depending on their organization. 

Nearly 1,000 attendees are expected to attend with more than 100 sessions by about as many speakers.  We recommend you select the full conference pass which gives you access to the keynote address, all sessions, the exhibit hall (50+ exhibitors) and networking receptions, breakfast and refreshment breaks on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well as lunch on Monday and Tuesday.  

With a record number of attendees, speakers and exhibitors, the 2019 National Cyber Crime Conference organized by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office this past week was a huge success with law enforcement professionals from 38 states, Canada, the UK and Africa. 

The NCCC event was especially important to ADF since it's our first major conference of the year and it's where we officially launched our new Mobile Device Investigator™ for iOS and Android investigations.  Our launch featured a demo by our digital forensic specialist, Rich Frawley who joined ADF after 22 years in law enforcement. 

If you're headed to the 2019 National Cyber Crime Conference in Noorwood, MA next week please make time to stop by the ADF Solutions booth to say hello and to enter our drawing for a US combat veteran, handmade keepsake from a Flag of Valor for your home or forensic lab.

Rich Frawley, our Digital Forensic Specialist, who spent 22 years in law enforcement will be leading 3 digital forensic training sessions:

• Solving Crimes Against Children with Digital Evidence Investigator (In the NW3C Lab)
• Introducing ADF Mobile Device Investigator (iOS & Android)
• On-Scene Digital Investigation Best Practices: from CyberTip to Court-Ready Paperwork

ADF Bret: Hi Brett, thanks for taking time to talk! My first question is, what’s with the extra “t”? I’m just kidding of course.  Growing up, one of my best friends spelled his name with two “t”s so we just refer to one another as Brettt so as not to offend one another.   

Brett:     A rose by any other name…

ADF Bret: You’re a digital forensic examiner providing private consulting and training to government agencies and you’ve also found time to write quite a few books, including Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard, Hiding Behind the Keyboard, and X-Ways Forensics Practitioner’s Guide, all of which have received nominations for Best Forensic Book of the Year.  How did you get started writing books for the forensic community and what (besides the money and fame) keeps you writing?

Brett:  Much like any author writing forensic books, I wanted to write the books that I wish were already written by someone else. I would have bought them if they already were written! My first two books were published within the same year, so they competed against each other for Best Forensic Book of the Year and the X-Ways book won. That was neat, and certainly having Eric Zimmerman as my co-author helped. I will keep writing books whenever I need a book that hasn’t already been written, so hopefully we get more authors writing books.

Of all the investigations that a law enforcement agency may undertake, there may be none as difficult to deal with as crimes perpetrated against minors. The proliferation of online child exploitation material continues to be an issue worldwide, from child pornography to the facilitation of human trafficking. Luckily, investigators are not having to combat this problem alone thanks to industry solutions like those provided by ADF Solutions and the organizations below.  

Learn how to conduct a Windows live scan with ADF Solutions Digital Evidence Investigator.  Two USB ports are required to complete a scan, one for the Collection Key and one for the Authentication Key, once the scan has started the Authentication Key can be removed. A USB hub may be used in cases where the target computer only has one USB port. 

When running a live scan from a Collection Key it is possible to create a RAM dump of the computer. RAM dumps can then be analyzed with appropriate software (e.g. Volatility). 

If you haven’t yet met Phillip Moore and you’re in the digital forensics or incident response fields, you’re likely to at least know him from one of his top forensic blogs:

With the ever increasing demand for law enforcement to learn how to treat digital evidence and the growing demand for qualified digital forensic analysts, forensic examiners, and corporate investigators, it's important to find the best digital forensic training. 

We like training taught by instructors with deep experience in digital forensics, and preferably by instructors that have years of relevant law enforcement experience.  

That's why we recommend ADF Digital First Responder^® training, taught by digital forensic experts that spent years in law enforcement investigation. The 8-16 hour training includes online self-paced learning for the following digital forensic tools: 

• Mobile Device Investigator
• Digital Evidence Investigator
• Triage Investigator
• Triage-G2 with the Rosoka Add-on 

In addition to vendor specific training, there are plenty of options from law enforcement and digital forensic experts. One of the best sources for Digital Forensic Training is often at digital forensic conferences, which are now increasingly available online as virtual events with live and recorded training. 

See our list of the Best 2021 Digital Forensic Conferences.

January 2019 is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Human trafficking has been a federal crime in the United States since The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was passed into law as a federal statute.  Each year since 2010 has been designated National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month with January 11th each year being observed as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. 

The term triage naturally brings to mind a medical emergency where you need to get in quickly, assess the damage and deal with the most serious problems first. Digital forensic triage has the same application but it's applied to a crime scene or investigation which involves computers or other digital media. Standard forensic methods normally take place in a forensic lab where a trained forensic examiner would perform a complete examination. Digital triage is a front line step in saving time and reaching satisfactory results faster.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC Program) in 1998 as part of a national strategy to combat and prevent child exploitation.  ICAC Task Force training is often held annually within regions across the United States.  The exact dates and locations of these law enforcement conferences vary from year to year but below is a short list of the typical conference names and locations:

The Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Child Abduction Response Team (CART) and Offender Registration and Enforcement once again hosted the Florida ICAC Training Symposium. 

23 Industry Events: Network, Learn, Grow

The knowledge and training you can gain at digital forensic conferences around the world can make the difference in crime solving.  In addition to networking, annual conferences are one of the best ways to learn from peers, stay on top of the latest strategies and tactics, get an advance look at industry trends, and they can be a great place to talk face-to-face with digital forensic vendors. In addition to keynotes and lectures, many annual conferences also offer hands-on lab sessions or pre-conference training classes. Below is a list of some of our favorite annual conferences which are in addition to our list of 2020 Law Enforcement Conferences in North America.  

The best tools for rapid Mac forensics investigations just got better with ADF's release of new software versions to support the collection of artifacts with Mac OS Mojave Forensics and MacOS High Sierra as well as from Windows. 

ADF's New Forensic Software Empowers Investigators and Prosecutors

ADF Solutions, the leading provider of automated forensic software for investigators and lab examiners, announced today the release of new software versions 1.4 for Digital Evidence Investigator^Ⓡ, and versions 4.4 for Triage-Investigator^Ⓡ, and Triage-G2^Ⓡ software.  

"We are very excited to be the first digital forensic software to parse macOS Mojave log files natively under Windows strengthening our macOS support", stated Raphael Bousquet, CTO, and co-founder of ADF Solutions. "In our world of fast and efficient forensic analysis, we strive to reduce data noise for the investigator. The addition of picture and video classification is a great step in the right direction!"

A precise timeline view links user activities with pictures, videos, and files of interest so investigators can quickly build a digital forensic report to share with prosecutors or other investigators.  The new version leverages enhanced automation and enables investigators to run in-depth digital forensics scans quickly.  The highlights of this new release for the investigative and forensic community include:

What's the fastest, easiest way to perform RAM Dump? While there are many tools and techniques available to examiners for recovering data from volatile memory, ADF Digital Evidence Investigator^®, Triage-Investigator^®, and Triage-G2^® are fast and easy. 

A simple 2-step process lets even the most non-technical field investigators or highly trained digital forensic examiners quickly perform a RAM capture when running a live scan on the computer from a collection key: 

1. Click "Create RAM Dump" from the main menu
2. The RAM Dump will be saved to the collection key as a .bin file and then zipped

This October kicks off with the fourth annual Northwest Regional ICAC Conference, a multi-state, multi-disciplinary event designed to provide lecture and lab training to prosecutors, digital forensic examiners, and law enforcement investigators focused on the investigation and prosecution of technology facilitated crimes against children. 

A criminal forensic lab located in one of the largest U.S. Federal agencies was working on an extensive child exploitation case and had seized 37 total hard drives that contained over 38 terabytes of data. The case was high profile and the forensic team had a short window of time to examine the contents of the confiscated drives. Technical resources were limited and imaging drives and conducting traditional forensic examinations would be very time consuming. With the amount of data that needed to be searched, the investigators realized that it could potentially be weeks before the examinations were complete and the case could move forward. In addition the case would require significant disk storage space to hold all of the images.

Join ADF Digital Forensic Specialist, Rich Frawley as he presents "On-Scene Digital Investigation Best Practices: From Search Warrant to Court Ready Paperwork" at the Techno Security & Digital Forensics conference in San Antonio, Texas.  The Techno event is a follow up to the top rated Techno Security & Digital Forensics Myrtle Beach event earlier this year where ADF was a Gold Sponsor.  

Rich Frawley, ADF Digital Forensic Specialist will be presenting "On-Scene Digital Investigation Best Practices: From Search Warrant to Court Ready Paperwork" at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia this week.  

Coming off the 30th annual Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas, conference organizers announced that the 31st annual conference is scheduled for August 12-15, 2019 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.  

This week, hundreds of leading law enforcement officials from the US, Canada and Europe descended on the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC to participate in the High Technology Crime Investigation Association's annual law enforcement conference.   The event featured 72 speakers over the three days of sessions and training and was kicked off with an opening keynote from Chief Superintendent Jeff Adam, C/Supt. DG Technical Investigation Services for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Other notable speakers included representatives from:

• The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) 
• Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal - Forensic Lab
• Naval Criminal Investigative Service 
• New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
• Virginia Department of Forensic Science
• Portland Police Bureau

Attend HTCIA Pre-conference Training in Washington, DC on August 19th where we will be hosting two hands-on lab sessions for digital investigators.  Conference attendees arriving early can register to attend one of two sessions:

• Directly Scanning a Suspect's Computer or Devices
• Child Exploitation Investigations Done in Record Time

The High Technology Crime Investigation Association's International Conference (HTCIA) & Training Expo is one of the oldest and most respected technology investigation and law enforcement conferences in the world.  This year, the event will be held in Washington, DC at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel and will feature an opening keynote from Chief Superintendent Jeff Adam, C/Supt. DG Technical Investigation Services for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RMCP). 

Conference sessions include a variety of topics including:

Earlier this year, ADF partnered with Flags of Valor, a company dedicated to serving U.S. military and law enforcement with high quality, handmade wooden wall art. Flags of Valor was founded to provide job opportunities to combat veterans and today the majority of Flags of Valor craftsmen are service-disabled with combat related injuries.

ADF was delighted to sponsor certified forensic examiner training focused on Basic Computer Forensic Examiner (BCFE) training held by the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS) in Orlando, Florida.  The event attracted hundreds of corporate security, university and law enforcement officers from around the United States, as well as various officials from the Department of Defense and federal agencies.

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far far away
(2006 to be exact and the galaxy was Maryland USA)
It was a period of innovation.
Computers, USBs, all kinds of devices ... 
Some people were committing digital crimes
from their seemingly hidden bases in the digital world. 

Here are a few of the highlights of the best parts of the 2018 National Cyber Crime Conference hosted by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO) this past week. 

More Than 100 Digital Forensic Training Sessions for Police and Investigators

Local, state and federal agency attendees with varied experience and diverse backgrounds were able to attend a plethora of the best in-person digital and computer forensics education available.   With labs and lectures delivered by educators, trainers and fellow forensic specialists, attendees were able to choose from a wide range of topics including: 

Digital forensic experts understand the importance of remembering to perform a RAM Capture on-scene so as to not leave valuable evidence behind. Capturing volatile data in a computer's memory dump enables investigators and examiners to do a full memory analysis and access data including:

There are many cases where time is critical in a police investigation. This is increasingly true in a world where digital evidence can be an essential element in capturing a suspect or solving a crime. Digital data can implicate or clear suspects and utilizing digital evidence to your investigative advantage can allow you to act quickly while on-scene.

Starting digital investigations while at the scene has become increasingly important in fluid crime situations such as terrorism threats, active shooter situations, gang activity, or sex trafficking. Field digital forensic investigations (a.k.a. field triage) can also be useful in CyberTip investigations or any crime where a digital device may have photos, video, audio, or other data that could be useful in identifying suspects, victims or protecting evidence.

Today, ADF is announcing the release of new digital forensic software versions for our products: 

• Digital Evidence InvestigatorⓇ (DEI) version 1.3.0 
• Triage-InvestigatorⓇ version 4.3.0
• Triage-G2Ⓡ version 4.3.0

This April, ADF will sponsor The National Cyber Crime Conference in Massachusetts, hosted by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office.  The conference brings together police, prosecutors and forensic examiners from all 50 states, Washington DC, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, for three days of training designed to help attendees face the challenges posed by digital evidence and technology in criminal investigations.  This law enforcement conferences international attendees have come from Canada, Ireland, England as well as Trinidad and Tobago. 

"In summary, I would say DEI is one of the more intuitive tools I've used, because it guides you through your investigation step by step and could easily be used without much training" ...Read the full 2018 Forensic Focus Review of ADF's Digital Evidence Investigator tool.

Join ADF for the First Forensic Forum (F3) Annual Training Workshop being held in the United Kingdom.  F3 provides an open forum for any organizations focused on digital forensics.  

The emphasis of F3 training days and seminars is focused on the technical aspects of digital forensics. Computer technology in all its forms is a fast-moving area, and in order to function effectively, forensic computing analysts are constantly faced with the necessity of updating and expanding their knowledge. The First Forensic Forum aims to provide them with the opportunity to do so by drawing upon the expertise of member organisations. The majority of F3 members are involved in the analysis of computer-based evidence of various types, and some are also authors and manufacturers of forensic computing tools and solutions.

Join ADF at the High Technology Crime Investigation Association Conference for Forensic Investigators and Law Enforcement.  The HTCIA  event will be held in California and features 84 labs and 90 lectures for Investigators, Law Enforcement and Legal professionals. 

Investigators, Police and Legal professionals who stop by the ADF booth will receive a FREE evaluation kit of ADF Digital Evidence Investigator® forensic software. Our latest release of Digital Evidence Investigator software will also be featured in the Vendor Showcase. 

ADF Solutions, a leading provider of digital forensic and media exploitation software, has released Triage-G2, the latest evolution of ADF's award-winning media exploitation tool. Triage-G2 is deployed by special forces, military and intelligence agencies worldwide and has a proven track record of supporting site exploitation missions, including Tactical Media Exploitation, DOMEX, MEDEX, and biometric identity operations.

Designed for nontechnical operators, Triage-G2 employs a simple two-step process to rapidly scan, extract, and analyze critical intelligence from computers and digital devices. The tool can be deployed on existing computing devices and on a small portable USB key. The collected data can then be easily distributed via portable reports or ingested into data repositories, which include Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination Systems (PED).

ADF Solutions, a leading provider of digital forensic and media exploitation tools, has released Triage-Investigator, the latest evolution of ADF's award-winning digital forensic triage tool designed for field deployment. Triage-Investigator has a proven track record of providing investigators with easy, quick access to court-defendable evidence to process criminal cases.

This 3 day course uses HTCI’s proven hands-on training methods to train the investigator on the forefront of cyber investigations. It provides the investigator a simple USB/DVD deployment method to scan computers.