FTK Over the Air: Building a Forensic Community with Kevin DeLong

In the high-stakes world of digital forensics, technical expertise is only half the battle; the other half is the collective intelligence of the community. In this episode of FTK Over the Air, Justin sits down with Kevin DeLong, the visionary behind Cyber Social Hub, to discuss how he transformed a post-conference networking idea into a powerhouse collective of over 2,700 professionals.

Building a Forensics Collective

Kevin DeLong identifies a critical gap in the industry: the need for a "permanent conference" environment. Forensics is a field that moves faster than any single person can track. Cyber Social Hub provides a space where:

• IT & Cybersecurity Pros share data transmission vulnerabilities.
• Digital Forensic Examiners swap research on new file systems.
• Legal Tech Experts discuss the defensibility of new collection methods.

Emerging Trends for 2026

Kevin’s predictions for the forensics space often center on the increasing complexity of data. As we move through 2026, the community is currently tackling:

1. Fragmented Cloud Forensics: Moving beyond physical hard drives to capturing live data from decentralized cloud architectures.
2. Encrypted App Artifacts: Strategies for forensically sound data extraction from end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging platforms.
3. AI-Generated Evidence: Identifying and verifying "Deepfake" data or AI-altered logs during an investigation.

Back to Basics: The Forensic Investigation Process

Whether you are a seasoned veteran in Kevin’s community or a newcomer just starting out, maintaining a defensible process is non-negotiable.

To help you stay grounded, Exterro has released a series of educational guides on The Basics of Digital Forensics. This process is generally divided into four critical phases:

1. Seizure & Acquisition: Identifying and securing the hardware or cloud sources without altering the original data.
2. Preservation: Creating a "forensic image" (bit-for-bit copy) and maintaining a strict Chain of Custody.
3. Analysis: Using tools like FTK® to search for hidden files, deleted emails, or system artifacts.
4. Reporting: Translating complex technical findings into a format that is understandable for a courtroom or a corporate board.

Ready to Engage?

Professional growth in forensics happens in the spaces between investigations. You can join the conversation for free at cybersocialhub.com.

Check out the full podcast episode here!

‍