Kanpur, 21 December, 2024: C3iHub, the Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with the University of Tulsa, USA, is organizing the 21st Annual IFIP WG 11.9 International Conference on Digital Forensics. The event will take place on January 6 to 7, 2025, at the Eros Hotel, New Delhi, bringing together leading experts and researchers in the field of digital forensics.

 The conference will be attended by prominent individuals from various investigative agencies, including forensic labs, as well as academicians, researchers, law enforcement personnel, government officials, and participants from several countries, including the USA, Hong Kong, and Australia. The two-day conference will feature six sessions during which 13 research papers will be presented on topics such as Deepfakes, Digital Forensic Models, Digital Forensic Tools and Techniques, Cloud Forensics, Mobile and Embedded Device Forensics, and Industrial Control Systems and Forensics. It will also include insightful panel discussions on two key topics: Government Initiatives and Policies for the Cybersecurity Ecosystem and Laws, Regulations, and Digital Forensics. A distinguished group of panelists, each bringing a wealth of expertise and experience in their respective fields, will lead these discussions.

 The keynote lectures will be delivered by distinguished experts, including Lt. Gen. M. Unnikrishnan Nair, National Cybersecurity Coordinator at the National Security Council Secretariat, Government of India, on “Digital Forensics: Challenges Arising Due to Emerging Technologies”, and Dr. Gaurav Gupta, Director and Scientist F at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, on “The Evolving Digital Forensics Ecosystem”.

 Speaking about the conference, Dr. Gaurav Gupta, General Chair of the conference and Additional Director/Scientist F at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said, “Since criminals are most creative but lazy people on earth, these traits can be used to develop the solutions to tackle the menace of computer frauds and cybercrimes. This conference will serve as the platform for researchers and practitioners from all around the world to showcase their novel research work targeted towards that goal. The country needs a Digital Forensic Mission to develop the ecosystem to ensure people trust in digital technologies.”

 Dr. Somitra Kr Sanadhya, the Organizing Chair of the conference, Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Dean of Digital Infrastructure and Automation, and Chief Information Security Officer at IIT Jodhpur, has played a pivotal role in organizing the conference. Speaking about his work and the conference, Prof. Sanadhya said, “My area of work is centered around Computer Security; and Digital Forensics is an emerging field which promises to deliver solutions that could benefit law enforcement agencies to speed up investigation of cases that involve electronic evidence. My aim in being associated with organization of the 21st International Conference on Digital Forensics is to introduce Indian students interested in pursuing research in the field of Digital Forensics to the top-notch research happening in this area.”

 The IFIP Working Group 11.9 on Digital Forensics is an active international community of scientists, engineers, and practitioners dedicated to advancing research and practice in the critical field of digital forensics. The 21st Annual IFIP WG 11.9 International Conference on Digital Forensics will serve as a platform for presenting original, unpublished research results and innovative ideas related to the extraction, analysis, and preservation of electronic evidence. The relevance of the 21st IFIP WG 11.9 International Conference on Digital Forensics aligns with MeitY’s mission of promoting research efforts in the emerging field of Digital Forensics. Research outputs in Digital Forensics are directly connected to the development of secure solutions for computer systems and cyberspace.