This year’s Forensics Europe Expo 2025 brought together digital forensics professionals, investigators, researchers, and vendors for two days of in-depth talks, live demonstrations, and networking. Held on June 18–19 at London’s Olympia, the event maintained its reputation as one of the key gatherings in the forensic calendar—this time with a sharp focus on cross-discipline collaboration and forward-looking tools.
FEE 2025 opened on a thoughtful note. Professor Sarah Morris welcomed attendees with a reminder of the need to support mental health in the forensic community, acknowledging Forensic Focus’s ongoing work in this area, and encouraged investigators to continue checking in on one another.
Notable Talks
MSAB: Unlocking Voice Data: Speech-to-Text in Digital Investigations
Voice notes are no longer a fringe data type—they’re central to mobile investigations. MSAB’s Alex Coley and Bethany Morgan demonstrated how their tools transform voicenote audio into searchable text using speech-to-text processing within XRY.
Given that around two-thirds of Americans now use voice messages regularly, and many use them in place of traditional conversations, this content often contains key non-verbal context—tone, hesitations, background sounds—that adds investigative value. MSAB’s technology automates transcription at scale, helping investigators surface relevant content quickly while reducing manual listening time.
The system also flags language shifts and supports multi-source ingestion, reinforcing its role as an efficiency tool rather than a replacement for expert judgment. As voice-based communication continues to rise, this kind of capability is becoming increasingly important in digital investigations.
Amped Software: Image and Video Evidence You Can Trust: The Importance of Integrity, Authenticity and Accuracy
In a digital landscape full of edited footage and AI-generated imagery, Amped Software’s Alexander Fehrmann delivered a clear message: visual evidence must be treated as forensic data, not just pictures. Whether intentional or accidental, manipulation of visual media can undermine the integrity of an investigation.
Using Amped’s suite of tools—including FIVE, AUTHENTICATE, and REPLAY—Fehrmann walked attendees through techniques to validate authenticity, detect tampering, and maintain evidentiary integrity. These included pixel-clone detection, metadata analysis, and even shadow geometry verification, which can highlight inconsistencies invisible to the human eye.
He also demonstrated how Amped Authenticate can identify deepfakes and profile pictures generated by tools like DALL·E or Midjourney—an increasingly relevant skillset as generative AI becomes widespread. The emphasis was on treating video evidence with the same scrutiny as any other data source.
Portsmouth and Winchester Universities: SpiderNet – Investigations of Smart Machines
Smart devices are increasingly involved in criminal activity—not just as sources of evidence, but as tools used to obscure or erase it. Dr. Mo Isaac Adda and Dr. Nancy Scheidt introduced SpiderNet, a decentralised forensic framework designed to support real-time investigation of connected devices. Both speakers delivered the session with enthusiasm and deep subject knowledge, clearly committed to addressing the growing challenges smart technology poses to digital forensics.
At the centre of SpiderNet is the concept of digital DNA—a unique set of identifiers for each device, including model details, serial numbers, SIM data, and more. These profiles are monitored across a network of servers, with alert flags indicating a device’s status: whether it’s been cloned, requires legal review, or contains prohibited content. The system supports secure evidence preservation, live acquisition, and automated reporting, reducing reliance on traditional post-incident collection and analysis.
Rather than replacing existing tools, SpiderNet is designed to complement them—particularly in cases involving smart environments or autonomous systems. The talk also introduced the idea of preventative forensics, where devices can be flagged and monitored before data is lost. It’s a proactive, infrastructure-level approach that reflects how digital forensic practice must evolve alongside the technology it investigates.
Leica Geosystems: Evidential Storytelling: Enhancing Investigations with Laser Scanning
Daniel Prewitt from Leica Geosystems delivered a session on how 3D laser scanning is revolutionising scene documentation. With scanners capturing millions of data points per second, investigators can now reconstruct entire environments digitally—and interactively. These reconstructions can offer not only greater accuracy but also a more intuitive way for stakeholders to understand complex scenes.
Prewitt drew parallels between books and films: traditional documentation requires interpretation, but laser scanning creates a consistent visual experience for everyone. The technology allows users to explore scenes virtually, change camera perspectives, overlay CCTV, and even highlight evidence with on-screen colour adjustments. As more investigations depend on the ability to communicate technical evidence clearly, tools like this are becoming increasingly vital.
Beyond Digital: A Broader Forensic Landscape
While digital forensics took centre stage for many attendees, FEE remains a multidisciplinary event. The talk programme also included topics from broader forensic science—for example, a session examining how sharp force trauma presents differently after fire exposure, which underscored the challenges of interpreting altered evidence in burned remains.
The presence of traditional forensic vendors—covering everything from fingerprint kits to body recovery systems—was a reminder that digital forensics is just one part of the wider investigative toolkit. This broader context is valuable, particularly for practitioners who regularly work alongside other forensic specialists.
Final Thoughts
FEE 2025 may have been smaller in scale this year, but the quality of content—particularly in the digital forensics space—remained high. From managing voice data at scale, to authenticating video in an AI-saturated world, to preparing for smart machine investigations, the event offered a clear glimpse into the future of the field. If you’re planning to attend next year, we’ll be there—come and say hello!
