It’s here! The Magnet Forensics 2024 State of Enterprise DFIR report is now available. Based on a survey of almost 400 DFIR professionals, we’ve analyzed the data and captured the key challenges and trends DFIR professionals in corporate and service provider environments faced over the past year.
Download our fourth annual report to learn how your peers see their digital investigations evolving and our expert’s recommendation on tackling the biggest challenges and trends of 2024.
One key finding from the survey was that they’re being called upon to help mitigate broad organizational risks for various stakeholders. Supporting general counsel/legal teams, human resources, and incident response investigations requires new digital forensic capabilities. Investing in digital forensic solutions that support a variety of data sources and analysis needs is essential to meet varying needs and demands.
As the value of digital forensics is realized across a wider range of investigation types, so too is the importance of utilizing various data sources. Cloud and mobile data are becoming more important, with both sources reportedly being relied upon as much as traditional computer data sources.
These are just two of the key findings in this year’s report; download the full 2024 State of Enterprise DFIR report to learn more. Or continue reading for a preview of more insights from this year’s report.
Key Findings
In this year’s report, we explore four key findings, including recommendations and commentary from our digital forensic experts to support you in tackling these challenges:
1. Corporate Digital Forensics Investigators Support a Wide Range of Business NeedsÂ
The survey found that DFIR professionals play an essential role in mitigating broad organizational risks by investigating HR/internal issues, supporting eDiscovery/litigation activities, and providing information vital to effective cyber incident response. Also, the rate, complexity, and consequences of cyberattacks have soared. Ultimately, a balanced approach is required, one that allows corporate DFIR practitioners to perform a variety of investigations and keep pace with data extraction and analysis demands.
2. Mobile and Cloud Data are Becoming More ImportantÂ
The increasing significance of mobile and cloud data in investigations is highlighted by the fact that DFIR professionals rely equally on these sources as traditional computer data. Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents note a rise in mobile device data in their investigations, particularly in probing phishing, employee misconduct, and malware-infected endpoints.
3. Automation and AI are Reshaping DFIRÂ
Due to their time-sensitive nature, manual data extraction and workflows can slow down investigations and increase risk. However, the survey reveals that automation and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing DFIR. Over 40% of respondents are implementing significant automation for digital evidence processing and analysis, while nearly 20% have adopted or purchased AI for DFIR purposes.
4. Forensics Service Providers Remain a Valuable Piece of the DFIR PuzzleÂ
Third-party forensics service providers continue to be a trusted partner to organizations that either do not have the resources to support an in-house digital forensics team or need to supplement their internal efforts. DFIR professionals reported that they value service providers for cost-effectiveness, impartial review, and managing increasing investigation volumes.
We hope you find this year’s report insightful and walk away with actionable recommendations and insights to inform your DFIR strategies. We’ll share more blogs and webinars exploring the top challenges and trends in this year’s report to provide you with more actionable insights for your day-to-day investigations.
Download the State of Enterprise DFIR report now and learn more about what your peers are experiencing and how to overcome current trends and challenges in 2024.
Additional Resources
- Have you tried Magnet AXIOM Cyber yet? Get your free trial now and see how AXIOM Cyber supports a variety of investigation types and has unique capabilities for Internal Investigations, eDiscovery, and Incident Response.
- Learn more about how Magnet VERAKEY enables advanced consent-based mobile extractions to help you protect your business.
- Check out our latest Magnet AUTOMATE webinar to learn how automation can help you power through your forensic workflow and integrate.
