Formation of the Open Source Digital Forensics Developer’s Council
March 08, 2024
Dr. Simson Garfinkel, BasisTech, and Sleuth Kit Labs announce the formation of the Open Source Digital Forensics Developer’s Council to shepherd the continued development of The Sleuth Kit, Autopsy and Bulk Extractor open source digital forensics tools.
SOMERVILLE, MA — Today, Dr. Simson Garfinkel announced the creation of BasisTech’s Open Source Digital Forensics Developer’s Council.
“Open Source Digital Forensics Software is ideally suited to digital forensics education because of its focus on capability, simplicity and adaptability,” said Simson Garfinkel, Chief Scientist of BasisTech and one the leaders in the open source digital forensics community. “So I’m thrilled to have three academics as inaugural members of the Open Source Digital Forensics Developer’s Council.”
“The Sleuth Kit is at the core of many digital forensics tools, but until now, there has been no way for the user community to participate in creating the roadmap for the program’s future.”
Digital forensics refers to the practice of analyzing computer systems for digital artifacts in a systematic manner, allowing the results to be used in investigations or legal proceedings. Today, digital forensics education is a core part of many cybersecurity programs and is increasingly taught in criminal justice programs.
The Open Source Digital Forensics Developer’s Council will represent the interests of all users in the continued development, maintenance and expansion of multiple digital forensics tools, including The Sleuth Kit, Autopsy, and Bulk Extractor.
“Sleuth Kit Labs is thrilled to support the efforts of BasisTech in its efforts to strengthen the community of users and developers of open source digital forensics tools,” said Brian Carrier, CEO of Sleuth Kit Labs and a lead developer of The Sleuth Kit and Autopsy, which together are among the most widely used tools in digital forensics education today.
The inaugural members of the board include:
- Dr. Harjinder Lallie, Associate Professor – Reader, University of Warwick
- Dr. Frank Xu, Professor, School of Criminal Justice, University of Baltimore
- Mr. Randy Hollifield, Faculty – Cyber Crime Technology, McDowell Tech Community College (Marion, NC)
The board’s initial activities will include setting a roadmap for the tools, improving their reliability, and making it easier for community members to contribute to the code base.
