Digital Forensics

Circuit board with binary code

Digital forensics is the extraction of digital data from any type of digital media so that it will stand up in a court of law. Given that broad reach, digital forensics has a global impact in today’s increasingly digitally dependent environment, which presents continuously evolving and unique challenges. Research in digital forensics can include the development, testing, and implementation of novel approaches to understand not only how devices, information systems, and software can be compromised, but also how one can reliably determine how those compromises occurred.

At the master’s and doctoral levels, hands-on research laboratories allow students to examine real-world residual data and investigation issues in the areas of cloud computing, mobile device forensics, traditional forensics and additive layer manufacturing along with conducting data extraction experiments designed to address current and future investigation challenges.

Research outcomes and industry focal points are presented weekly by both students and practitioners, during the fall and spring semesters, at the Digital Forensic Information Intelligence research talks.

The School of Computing (SoC) is increasingly interacting with industry providing our students with outstanding current and future work prospects along with practical cutting edge research opportunities.

USA provides students, faculty and industrial partners with a vibrant learning and research environment focused on addressing current and future opportunities in the field of digital forensics.

SoC has recently awarded a National Science Foundation planning grant to Digital Forensic Site as part of a broader Center for Advanced Forensic Science Research. Our site brings together more than a dozen active researchers with a range of specialties. The intensified collaboration of an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) encourages both students and industrial partners to capitalize on faculty foundational knowledge and practical expertise to perform industrially relevant fundamental research. Broader center interaction exposes faculty, students and industrial partners to cross-cutting research issues along with presenting prospects for interdisciplinary and cross-university collaboration.

Centers and Research Groups

Center for Forensics, Information Technology, and Security (CFITS)

Center for Advanced Forensic Science Research site in Digital Forensics Information Intelligence

Faculty

Contact Us
	Dr. Todd Andel Dean, Professor	tandel@southalabama.edu
	Dr. Ryan Benton Associate Professor	rbenton@southalabama.edu
	Dr. Michael Black Assistant Professor	mblack@southalabama.edu
	Dr. Todd McDonald CFITS Director, Professor	jtmcdonald@southalabama.edu
	Dr. Harold Pardue Graduate Director, Professor	hpardue@southalabama.edu
	Dr. Jordan Shropshire Lawrence Minto Sylvestre Endowed Chair in Computing, Professor	jshropshire@southalabama.edu