Exterro's Top 5 Digital Forensics Resources of 2022

For the last couple of weeks, I've been reviewing some of our top educational resources from the past year here at Exterro. Today we're publishing our third and final list of resources, this time focusing on digital forensics and incident response (DFIR). (If you're curious about our other educational resources, you can check out the top resource lists for e-discovery and privacy on the blog too!)

2022 witnessed the continuation, if not acceleration, of a number of trends that are combining to increase business adoption of DFIR capabilities. Cyberthreats, from insiders to ransomware gangs, are proliferating, both domestically and internationally. The federal government has issued a mandate for all agencies and contractors to adopt zero trust architecture. The use cases for investigative capabilities continues to grow as more and more organizations recognize their need for HR, employee wrongdoing, civil litigation, compliance, and cyberincident investigations.

What are the topics and resources that had the biggest impact on our audience in 2022? Here are the top 5.

5. The Basics of Digital Forensics, Chapter 1

With all the reasons listed above demonstrating why DFIR is getting more attention from enterprises, it's no suprise that some folks are trying to figure out what the fuss is all about and how it might apply to them. How can investigators reconstruct a crime from deleted files on a smartphone or computer? What is the goal of the digital forensic process? What sort of tools do they use?That's why Exterro has launched its Basics of Digital Forensics series, available both on our website and for download. The first chapter is out and more are on their way in 2023. Download this version to get your feet wet in the world of digital forensics!

4. The 2022 Enterprise DFIR Benchmarking Report 

We have all heard, many times by now, that the rapid transition to remote workforces is here to stay. Organizations must adapt their policies and technologies to suit a fully remote or hybrid workforce— and that includes its ability to conduct investigations. Naturally the topic is sensitive, but that doesn’t eliminate the need to benchmark one’s own organization against others. This report, the result of Exterro’s first corporate digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) survey, helps fill that gap. Download it today to learn how enterprises and other organizations are ramping up their DFIR capabilities.

3. Forensic Investigations in Zero Trust Environments

With a federal mandate to implement Zero Trust principles at all government agencies by September 2024, this new cybersecurity paradigm has crossed over from a buzzword into a major paradigm shift. But Zero Trust principles would seem to be at odds with the need for and ability to conduct effective internal investigations. Fortunately, there are viable solutions. Digital forensic capabilities such as remote device analysis and incident remediation can be integrated into a zero trust network--provided organizations IT teams take certain, well-defined approaches. Download this whitepaper to learn more about Zero Trust and what it means for digital forensics and incident response teams!

2. Incident Response for a Remote World

Many aspects of the IT infrastructures that serve organizations today are nothing like they were two years ago. Hybrid and remote work models are now firmly in place at numerous companies, and they are unlikely to go away any time soon. In the current environment, end-user devices are just as likely if not more so to be operating off the main corporate network as on it. While this creates a lot of opportunities in terms of worker flexibility, it also introduces a host of cybersecurity risks. Download this expert focus whitepaper to learn about the threats posed by the transition to remote work--and how to mitigate them.

1. FTK Over the Air

Maybe this is cheating, because there's not just one podcast here--but an entire series that continues to grow, with 18 episodes and counting as of the start of 2023. Featuring Forensic Product Marketing Director Lynne Roossien and Exterro FTK Evangelist Justin Tolman, FTK Over the Air sheds light on the world of digital forensics through conversations with digital forensics experts and practitioners. Together, they’ll discuss topics ranging from new features in the FTK family of products and how to’s for practicing forensics professionals to interesting applications and use cases for digital forensics. Subscribe to FTK Over the Air and stay up-to-date with everything digital forensics!