Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Academic and professional conference examining digital forensics and cybercrime investigation in the context of emerging AI-driven threats
- Central theme explores how Large Language Models and rapid AI adoption are reshaping threat landscapes across Smart Industry, Fintech, and digital government
- Dedicated workshop on IoT security in health research alongside sessions on autonomous drone technologies and crypto asset retrieval
- Designed for cybersecurity professionals, forensic analysts, law enforcement, academic researchers, and policy makers
- Proceedings published through Springer with support from the European Alliance for Innovation
Introduction
The 17th EAI International Conference on Digital Forensics & Cyber Crime (ICDF2C 2026) convenes in Reykjavík, Iceland, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and law enforcement professionals to examine the evolving challenges of cybercrime investigation. This year’s theme, “Cyber analytics and forensics in the era of emerging threats,” reflects growing concern within the security community about how artificial intelligence—particularly Large Language Models—is fundamentally altering both attack methodologies and defensive capabilities. As organisations across sectors grapple with increasingly sophisticated threat actors, the conference provides a forum for sharing research findings and establishing priorities for next-generation forensic techniques.
About This Event
Now in its seventeenth year, ICDF2C has established itself as a significant gathering point for the digital forensics community. The conference operates under the auspices of the European Alliance for Innovation (EAI), with research papers published through Springer and indexed in the EU Digital Library. The programme combines technical presentations with keynote addresses, workshops, poster sessions, and structured networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration between academic institutions, private sector organisations, and law enforcement agencies.
The in-person format enables the kind of detailed technical discussion and relationship building that remains difficult to replicate in virtual settings, particularly for a field where trust and information sharing between organisations carry significant operational implications.
AI and the Shifting Threat Landscape
The conference’s thematic focus on AI-driven threats responds to a genuine inflection point in cybersecurity. Large Language Models have introduced new capabilities for both attackers and defenders, enabling more convincing social engineering campaigns while simultaneously offering potential improvements in threat detection and incident response automation. For forensic investigators, these developments create novel evidentiary challenges—determining whether content was AI-generated, tracing the provenance of synthetic media, and understanding how automated systems were exploited.
Sessions will examine how these dynamics play out across specific sectors. Smart Industry environments face particular exposure as operational technology systems become more connected, while Fintech organisations contend with AI-enhanced fraud schemes targeting payment systems and customer authentication. Digital government services, increasingly reliant on automated decision-making, present attractive targets where compromise can affect large populations.
IoT Security and Autonomous Systems
A dedicated workshop on IoT in Health Research addresses the security implications of connected medical devices and health monitoring systems. Healthcare environments present distinctive forensic challenges: devices often run proprietary firmware with limited logging capabilities, network architectures may prioritise availability over security, and the consequences of compromise extend beyond data theft to patient safety. Investigators working in this space must balance technical analysis with regulatory requirements around protected health information.
The programme also covers autonomous drone technologies, reflecting their growing use in both legitimate commercial applications and criminal activity. Forensic examination of drone systems requires understanding flight controller data, communication protocols, and the relationship between ground control stations and airborne platforms.
Law Enforcement Collaboration and Asset Recovery
Several sessions address the practical realities of cybercrime investigation from a law enforcement perspective. Topics include civil recovery mechanisms and crypto asset retrieval—areas where technical forensic capabilities must align with legal frameworks that vary significantly across jurisdictions. The increasing use of cryptocurrency in criminal enterprises has created demand for investigators who can trace blockchain transactions and work with exchanges and custodians to freeze or recover assets.
Human factors in cyber defence receive attention alongside purely technical subjects, acknowledging that security failures frequently involve social engineering, insider threats, or simple human error rather than sophisticated technical exploits.
Who Should Attend
ICDF2C 2026 serves professionals working at the intersection of technology, investigation, and policy. Digital forensic analysts and incident responders will find technical content relevant to their daily practice, while academic researchers can present findings and identify collaboration opportunities. Law enforcement personnel benefit from exposure to emerging techniques and tools, and policy makers gain insight into the technical realities that should inform regulatory approaches. The conference also attracts security managers and technology vendors seeking to understand where the field is heading.