DFRWS Conferences foster trans-disciplinary approaches to address emerging challenges in digital forensics by bringing together innovative researchers, developers, and practitioners from around the globe.

We invite contributions in five categories: 

    Research papers
    Practitioner / industry researcher presentations
    Hands-on workshops / tutorials
    Panel discussions
    Demos and posters

RESEARCH PAPERS undergo double-blinded peer review, and the proceedings are published by Elsevier as a special issue of Digital Investigation.

PRESENTATIONS, POSTERS, and DEMOS require a brief proposal, not a paper. These proposals undergo a light review process to select presentations of maximal interest to DFRWS attendees, and to filter out sales pitches. Presentation proposals must specify their target length from the following options: 20 minutes, 120 minutes (2 hours), 240 minutes (4 hours), or full day. Note, longer presentations and hands-on tutorials are referred to as ‘workshops’ described below.

WORKSHOPS / TUTORIALS can be several hours or full day, and typically include hands-on participation by attendees, allowing for an in-depth, detailed exploration of tools and techniques of interest to DFRWS attendees. Workshops can cover state-of-the-art research projects, useful tips and techniques for standard tools, or most anything that DFRWS attendees would consider beneficial. While commercial tools can be used, these workshops or tutorials should NOT be thinly-veiled commercial advertisements.

DFRWS will provide one free conference registration for each accepted workshop / tutorial.

Student Award and Student Scholarship Program

DFRWS continues its outreach to students studying digital forensics. DFRWS and its sponsors will award one or more Student Travel Scholarships each year to students who present their accepted research papers. One scholarship will be awarded to the Best Student Research Paper awardee. More travel scholarships may be awarded, depending on sponsorship funding each year. Exact award amounts will vary, but are estimated to be between $1,000-$1,500 per award. Students must register (and pay the registration fee) for the conference and cover all travel expenses. The travel scholarships will be dispersed at the conference to reimburse student travel costs. DFRWS will notify the recipient of the Best Student Research Paper award on or before the conference registration deadline. Other awards (e.g. industry sponsored awards for research in specific topic areas) may be awarded after the registration deadline and are fully contingent on scholarship sponsorship by industry each year. Refer to the website for further details regarding eligibility, funding and selection [link to student scholarship webpage].

Topics of Interest

DFRWS welcomes new perspectives that push the envelope of what is currently possible in digital forensics. Potential topics to be addressed by submissions include, but are not limited to:

    Machine learning and data mining for digital evidence extraction/query
    Social networking analysis and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)
    Malware and targeted attacks (analysis and attribution)
    Forensics analysis and visualization of Big Data
    Non-traditional forensic scenarios / contexts
    Network and distributed system forensics
    Mobile and embedded device forensics
    Cloud and virtualized environments
    Vehicle forensics (e.g., drones, cars)
    SCADA / industrial control systems
    Convert channels (e.g. TOR, VPN)
    Implanted medical devices
    Smart power grids
    Smart buildings
    Virtual currency
    Digital forensic preparedness / readiness
    Digital investigation case management
    Digital evidence sharing and exchange
    Digital forensic triage / survey
    Digital forensic tool validation
    Event reconstruction methods and tools
    Digital evidence and the law
    Case studies and trend reports
    Anti-forensics and anti-anti-forensics