Ring my bell
Episode 14
Welcome back to another captivating episode of Forensic Fix!
For Episode 14, our host Adam Firman has a very interesting chat with none other than the digital forensics expert, Matthew Sorell.
Matthew’s career is nothing short of impressive. In Australia, he’s a digital investigations consultant for law enforcement and related services, specializing in everything from multimedia to cyber investigations. Matthew shares his expertise with the bright minds of tomorrow as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide (Australia) and as an Adjunct Professor at the Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia – so talk about global reach!)
He was a scientific advisor for FORMOBILE, a three-year project with the overarching objective of establishing a complete end-to-end forensic investigation chain for mobile devices and improving digital safety and security in the EU. And to top it off, Matthew proudly represents as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in South Australia.
During the episode, Adam and Matthew covered a lot of interesting topics like mobile network data, time zones, validation, and the importance of impartiality in forensic investigations. Matthew emphasized the need to minimize bias and he also challenged the concept of proportionality in data extraction (also known as ‘selective extraction’.) The pair also discussed the challenges of mobile device extraction and the importance of accurate vs. precise data analysis in forensic investigations. Due to the complexity of digital evidence, they emphasized the need for specialized tools in mobile forensics and highlighted the role of academia in supporting the constantly evolving field of digital forensics. During the conversation they also touched on the challenges faced by forensic labs and the importance of validating digital evidence.
And to end on a high note, Matthew shared a bit about one of his big passions outside the day-to-day work – bell ringing. This activity, which he describes as a “mathematical team sport” stimulates the brain, helps keep one fit, … and it also makes a glorious sound! A cool pastime, if you ask us!