The Digital Forensics Research Conference Europe (DFRWS EU 2024) will be held Tuesday, March 19 through Friday, March 22 as a hybrid event in Zaragoza, Spain. Furthermore, the Women in Forensic Computing Workshop is co-locating with DFRWS and will be held on Monday 18th March 2024. A separate registration is required.

Conference Location:

Zaragoza is located in Aragon region of Spain on the banks of the Ebro river. The city is famous for its folklore, local cuisine, and landmarks such as the Basílica del Pilar, La Seo Cathedral and the Aljafería Palace which are exemplars of the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon and are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The main conference will be held in cooperation with the University of Zaragoza which is one of the oldest universities in Spain and a major research and development center. The main conference will be hosted in the Salón de Actos Edificio Betancourt (Calle María de Luna, 1, 50018 Zaragoza) on the Ebro River Campus. The Welcome Reception will be hosted at the Paraninfo of University of Zaragoza, The Digital Forensics Rodeo will be hosted at the Gran Hotel and other special events will be scheduled in and around the historic old town center.

March 19, 2024 to March 22, 2024

How to get there?

Direct Flights

Some low cost companies offer direct flights to Zaragoza (IATA code: ZAZ). These are non-stop flights, so probably not convenient if you’re coming from outside of Europe. In particular, Zaragoza International Airport (Aeropuerto de Zaragoza in Spanish) has a total of 14 flights operated by 5 companies (although they do not operate every day, check each company for more information). The destinations and companies are as follows:

Binter: Gran Canaria (LPA), Tenerife Norte-C. La Laguna (TFN)
Rynair: Bolonia (BLQ), Brussels/Charleroi (CRL), London/Stansted (STN), Marrakech (RAK), Milan/Bergamo (BGY), Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Paris/Beauvais-Tille (BVA), Santiago-Rosalía de Castro (SCQ), Treviso/S. Angelo (TSF)
Volotea: Menorca (MAH)
Vueling: Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Tenerife Norte-C. La Laguna (TFN)
Wizz Air: Bucharest (OTP), Cluj-Napoca (CLJ)

The airport is only nine kilometers from the city centre. Detailed information on how to reach the city center from the airport is available here

Flights to Madrid (MAD) or Barcelona (BCN) + High-Speed Train to Zaragoza

The easiest and most practical way to get to Zaragoza is to fly to Madrid (MAD) or Barcelona (BCN) and then take the AVE train to Zaragoza, operated by RENFE (select Zaragoza-Delicias as arrival station and Madrid-Pta. Atocha Almudena Grandes or Barcelona-Sants as departure station). AVE trains leave (approximately) every hour and the trip lasts about 1h 30min. Allow at least a margin of 2 hours between the arrival of your flight and the departure of the train, since you have to get to the train station from the airport. A discount is being managed for those registered in the congress on RENFE tickets, we will announce more details as soon as we know more. If you are coming on the AVE train, we strongly recommend that you buy your tickets in advance, they often run out!

There are also other companies that operate high-speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona, with intermediate stops in Zaragoza: Iryo and Ouigo. These trains are usually cheaper than RENFE, but their frequency is very low.

Follow these steps to catch the train station from the airport:

From Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD): you can get to the
Madrid-Pta. Atocha Almudena Grandes train station by bus, metro,
commuter train, or taxi.
- By bus: take the line Exprés Aeropuerto (the express bus). You can find the timetables, stops, and fares here.
- By metro: it takes 45 minutes to get there and you have to make two metro transfers (from L8 Aeropuerto T4 to Nuevos
  Ministerios, change to L10 Puerta del Sur [Tribunal stop], and change again to L1 Valdecarros [Atocha stop]).
- By train: take the “Cercanías” (lines C-1 or C-10) which leaves from Aeropuerto T4 to Atocha, it takes about 35 minutes,there are trains every 15-20 minutes, and the ticket is included in the AVE ticket (note here: it is not included in Iryo or Ouigo tickets). The price is 2.60€. If you have an AVE ticket, you can simply scan the QR of your ticket at the turnstiles or get a physical ticket in the machines with the number that appears on the ticket (where it says CombinadoCercanias). If you arrive at a terminal other than T4,
  there is an airport shuttle bus that connects all terminals.
- By taxi: it takes around 30 minutes and the price Madrid Train Station <> Madrid Airport is around 30€.
From Josep Tarradellas-Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN): you can get to the Barcelona-Sants train station by bus (you need to walk about 15 minutes), metro, commuter train, or taxi.
- By bus: the AeroBus (the express bus) stops at Plaça Espanya (or Plaça Catalunya), takes about 30 minutes and costs 6€. There are two buses: A1 (to Terminal 1) and A2 (to Terminal 2). You can buy the tickets here. There is another Bus option which is the normal interurban line (Bus 46). Cheaper, but also slower. You can find more information here.
- By metro: line L9 (orange) connects Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 with Collblanc (line L5). From this stop, you can reach Barcelona-Sants.
- By train: take the “Rodaliers” (line R2) to reach Barcelona-Sants from Aeroport T2. It takes around 20 minutes, there are trains every 30 minutes and the ticket is included in the AVE ticket (note here: it is not included in Iryo or Ouigo tickets). The price is 4.50€. If you have an AVE ticket, you can simply scan the QR of your ticket at the turnstiles or get a physical ticket in the machines with the number that appears on the ticket (where it says CombinadoCercanias). If you arrive at a terminal other than T2, there is an airport shuttle bus that connects both terminals.
- By taxi: it takes around 25 minutes and the price Barcelona Train Station <> Barcelona Airport is around 30€.

Flights to Madrid (MAD) or Barcelona (BCN) + Bus to Zaragoza

Traveling by bus is cheaper than by train, but it takes more time.

From Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD):
- Buses leave from the Terminal T4 of Barajas to Zaragoza (it takes about 3h30min and costs about 20€).
From Josep Tarradellas Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN):
- Buses leave from Estació d’Autobusos Barcelona Nord towards Zaragoza (it takes about 3h45min, and costs about 18€). To get to the bus station, you must take the A1 bus to Plaça Espanya from Terminal T1. From there, take the L1 metro line (direction Fonda) and get off at Arc de Triomf (about 5 minutes). Finally, walk from the Arc de Triomf metro station to the Estació d’Autobusos Barcelona Nord (about 5 min).

Buses are operated by ALSA. You can find the timetables, stops, and fares here. We recommend reserving and printing your ticket (also valid with e-ticket) in advance. You can also use the ALSA ticket vending machines at the bus stations.

From the Zaragoza bus and train station to the city center

The Zaragoza train station (Zaragoza-Delicias) and the Zaragoza bus station are in the same location: Avenida Navarra 80, 50011 Zaragoza. It is located about 2km from the city center, which can be reached by city buses such as 34 and 51 (it takes about 20 minutes, and a single ticket costs about 1.50€) or by taxi (it takes about 10 minutes, and costs about 20€). A useful map of the city bus lines can also be found here.

By car

Once you arrive in Zaragoza there is a Tram which runs frequently between the University Campus and the City Center. More information can be found here.

Taking the Tram

The ticket to take the tram must be purchased directly from the machines you will find at each tram stop. It costs 1.60€ and is only valid for a single tram trip, without transfers. You will need to get one of these every time you board the tram. Once you are in the tram, you must validate your ticket (inside the tram) or you may be fined.

You can get also an anonymous travel card, but it costs 12€ (it comes preloaded with 10€ of credit, though). This anonymous travel card is called “Tarjeta BUS” and you can get it mainly at any Tobacconist. With the card, the price of the tram ticket is reduced (it costs 0.43€) and transfers are allowed. After the conference you can keep the card as a souvenir or try to withdrawn the remaining money from the card at the “Centro Comercial Independencia El Caracol” (P.º de la Independencia, 24, 26, Casco Antiguo, 50004 Zaragoza, Spain — on floor -1 you will find the “Avanza Customer Service” store, it can be a little crowded during peak hours).

Directions

To the Conference Locations

The tram stop you must get to is Campus Río Ebro. You should always take the tram in the direction to Parque Goya. Near the city centre you have several tram stops where you can catch it: Plaza Aragón, Plaza España, César Augusto, and Plaza del Pilar-Murallas.

Once you stop at Campus Río Ebro, check the Campus map to know where to go. Below is a brief summary of the Campus map. You will find a map with more detail in the previous link.

To the City Centre

Easy, just take the tram at Campus Río Ebro, direction Valdespartera. You can get off at the stop that best suits your needs.

Useful Links

Here is a link to a map showing locations and distances related to the conference.
Here is a link to a map showing restaurants and bars for Tapas: a must go!.

Accomodation

There are a number of excellent hotels to choose from in Zaragoza to suit your budget and personal preferences. The local hosts have recommended the following hotels which are all in the historic old town and are within walking distance to the Tram line which connects the University Campus to the city center.

Hotel Goya
Hotel Alfonso Zaragoza
Hotel Silken Reino de Aragón
Hotel Vincci Zaragoza Zentro
Hotel Zenit Don Yo
The Gran Hotel (The Digital Forensics Rodeo and Awards Banquet will be hosted here)

Visa Information

The information for non-Schengen visitors who intend to come to Zaragoza can be obtained through the official website of the Ministry of the Interior of Spain. Please check if VISA is requested for people coming from your country. Contact us if you need further assistance.

COVID-19 Sanitary Instructions

Currently, there are no restrictions on movement, health control at the entrance, or the obligation to wear facial masks due to COVID-19 in Spain. There are a series of general recommendations, such as not traveling or resting and being without contact with third parties in case of being infected. It is recommended to visit the website of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation before starting your trip in case these restrictions change.

Keynotes

Unlocking Screens to Unveil Scenes: Overcoming Obstacles in a Police Investigation

Marcos González | Digital Forensics Unit | Guardia Civil

In the dynamic world of digital forensics, we constantly face new challenges that demand innovative and collaborative solutions. This presentation immerses the audience in a police case, providing a practical and entertaining insight into the challenges and successes experienced in the Guardia Civil's Digital Forensics Unit. We will explore different real-life challenges that a police forensics unit faces on a day-to-day basis, and the strategies used to solve these problems. This presentation not only highlights the relevance of digital forensics in modern police investigations but also offers an inside look at the technical challenges and interdisciplinary collaboration that define this exciting and crucial discipline.

About Marcos González:

Marcos González is the Technical Manager of the Digital Forensics Unit laboratory. He has more than 8 years of experience in digital forensics in the field of criminal investigation. His studies include a Masters Degree in Digital Evidence Analysis and Fight against Cybercrime from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, as well as several forensic courses and certifications from prestigious institutions such as IACIS, the Center for Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Investigation of UCD, Cellebrite and others. The Digital Forensics Unit, created more than 20 years ago, is the unit responsible for the digital forensic analysis of all investigations related to terrorism and violent radicalism in the Guardia Civil. It has the most specialised staff and resources in this discipline and is in a constant process of renewal and innovation to remain at the forefront of police digital forensics.

Beyond the Hype: Research on how Cybercriminals are Really Using GenAI

David Sancho | Senior Threat Researcher | Trend Micro

Cybercriminals were abusing AI well before the recent hype around generative AI took the IT industry by storm. This session delves into the criminal underground forums in order to determine how AI is actually being used, how they are adopting this technology to further their goals and what kind of AI-powered criminal services there are on offer. First, David will provide an overview of the underground conversations on AI and how the interest in generative AI there has followed the general market trends. David will highlight examples of forums dedicated to AI, such as Hack Forums’ "Dark AI" section. We will also cover LLM offerings by criminals for criminals with features and prices. As part of previous, David has seen FraudGPT, DarkBARD, DarkBERT, DarkGPT sharing many features that make him believe that these most likely work as wrapper services to the legitimate ChatGPT or Google BARD. David will also look at other possibly fake criminal LLM offerings: WolfGPT, XXXGPT, and Evil-GPT. He will share descriptions and speculation as to whether they are legitimate tools or also just wrappers of ChatGPT AI or OpenAI. Finally, David will discuss deepfake services for criminals. While there has been a lot of hype around these services, he notes that the creation process is labor-intensive and expensive, and it is still very difficult to create convincing deepfake videos. Audio deepfakes, however, are a lot easier to create – and David will demonstrate why and how these will become mainstream in the criminal market much sooner than video deepfakes.

About David Sancho:

David Sancho joined Trend Micro in 2002, having fulfilled a variety of technical security-related roles. Currently, his title is Senior Threat Researcher, and he specializes in web threats and other emerging technologies. In his more than 25 years of experience in the security field, David has written and published a number of research papers on malware tendencies, has been featured in the media, and has participated in customer events where he has presented on business issues and malware-related topics. His interests include web infection methods, vulnerability exploitation, and white-hat hacking in general. He also lifts weights. Sometimes.

Participation

DFRWS EU invites contributions in the categories listed below and follow the submission guidelines:

FULL RESEARCH PAPERS that align with the topics of interest undergo double-blinded peer review, and publish in the proceedings (10 pages, blinded). Articles can be published as a special issue of the Journal of Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation (by Elsevier).

PRESENTATIONS / DEMOS require a brief proposal (~500 words; not a paper) and undergo a light review process. Accepted proposals will be given a presentation slot (~15min) during the conference.

POSTERS allow for the presentation of current research efforts and the discussion of preliminary results with the digital forensics community during a dedicated poster session.

The poster must:

Not exceed A0 size (841 mm x 1189 mm)
Be readable both printed and on-screen
Be of interest to the digital forensic community
Not be a sales pitch or advertisement

The poster layout is up to the authors to decide. The posters are not included in the conference proceedings and will not be subject to a peer-review process. However, they will get a short audit before being exhibited to ensure they follow the above requirements. The approval process typically takes 1-2 days. Please make sure that you submit early enough to have time for printing the posters after approval. Minor changes to the contents are accepted without a new audit, such as improving the quality of illustrations, correcting spelling or other errors, etc.

WORKSHOPS can be 2 to 4 hours (please indicate) and ideally include hands-on participation by attendees, allowing for an in-depth, detailed exploration of tools and techniques of interest to DFRWS attendees. Workshops that result from research earlier presented at DFRWS or those involving specialised hardware are especially welcome. DFRWS will provide one free conference registration for each workshop accepted.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER are informal gatherings and discussions of a specific topic without a pre-planned agenda. You may propose a topic that you feel is of interest to the community.

Submission Information

All contributions must be submitted through the EasyChair site at https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=dfrwseu2024. Submissions must be in PDF format and follow the submission criteria and guidelines stated to be within the scope of the conference. Organisers may reject work that does not follow the listed criteria.

Contact Information

For questions related to paper, presentation, and demo submissions, please send email to: eu-papers <at> dfrws <dot> org

For questions about workshop/tutorial proposals, please send email to: harm <at> dfrws <dot> org

For questions related to presenting a poster at DFRWS EU 2024 please send email to: jens-petter <at> dfrws <dot> org

For questions about demo proposals, please send email to: mark <at> dfrws <dot> org

For questions related to the organisation of DFRWS EU 2023 please send email to: eu <at> dfrws <dot> org

Topics of Interest

DFRWS is open to fresh insights that challenge the current boundaries of digital forensics. The submissions can cover a broad range of topics related to digital forensics, including, but not limited to:

Anti-forensics and anti-anti-forensics
AI-assisted digital forensics
Case studies and trend reports
Cloud and virtualized environment forensics
Covert channels (e.g., TOR, VPN)
Cryptocurrency investigation
Development of digital forensic infrastructures
Digital evidence sharing and exchange
Digital evidence and the law
Digital forensic preparedness / readiness
Digital investigation case management
Digital forensic tool validation
Digital forensic triage / survey
Event reconstruction methods and tools
Forensics analysis and visualization of Big Data
Forensic analysis of anonymous networks
Forensic analysis of databases
Implanted medical devices
Incident response on malware and targeted attacks
Machine learning and data mining for digital evidence extraction/query
Memory acquisition and analysis
Methodology for digital forensic processes
Mobile and embedded device forensics
Multimedia (image, audio, video) data analysis
Network and distributed system forensics
Non-traditional forensic scenarios / contexts
SCADA / industrial control systems
Smart power grid forensics
Steganography and steganalysis
Smart building forensics
Vehicle forensics (e.g., drones, cars)
Visualization methods and tools for forensic analysis

Click Here For Proposal Requirements

Deadlines

Date	Event
October 5, 2023	Full papers: Mandatory Submission of Abstract & Title via EasyChair (Extended Deadline)
October 12, 2023	Full papers: Final submission via EasyChair (Extended Deadline)
November 27, 2023	Full papers: Acceptance notification
December 14, 2023	Full papers: Camera-ready submission of full papers and registration of presenters
December 17, 2023	Workshops & Presentations: Submission via EasyChair The program is now full and no more workshops are accepted. Please consider submitting your workshop to DFRWS USA or DFRWS APAC conferences.
March 17, 2024	Poster: Submission via EasyChair The program is now full and no more posters are accepted. Please consider submitting your poster to DFRWS USA or DFRWS APAC conferences.

Committees

Organizing Committee

Conference Chair

Ricardo J. Rodríguez (University of Zaragoza)

Conference Co-Chair

Frank Breitinger, Ph.D (University of Lausanne)

TPC Chair

Ondrej Rysavy, Ph.D. (Brno University of Technology)

TPC Co-Chair

Aikaterini Kanta, Ph.D. (University College Dublin)

Keynote Chair

John Sheppard, Ph.D. (South East Technological University)

Keynote Co-Chair

Jan Peter van Zandwijk (Netherlands Forensic Institute)

Workshop Chair

Harm van Beek (Netherlands Forensic Institute)

Workshop Co-Chair

Owen O'Connor

Proceedings Chair

Edita Bajramovic, Ph.D. (Siemens Energy)

Proceedings Co-Chair

Harjinder Singh Lallie

Web Chair

Maike Raphael (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

Web Co-Chair

Jan-Niclas Hilgert (Fraunhofer FKIE)

Demo/Presentation Chair

Christian Riess, Ph.D. (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Demo/Presentation Co-Chair

Mark Scanlon, Ph.D. (University College Dublin)

Poster Chair

Jens-Petter Sandvik (Norwegian University of Technology and Science)

Poster Co-Chair

Pavel Gladyshev, Ph.D. (University College Dublin)

Program Scheduling Chair

Radek Hranický, Ph.D. (Brno University of Technology)

Program Scheduling Co-Chair

Hany Atlam

Hybrid Chair

Felix Freiling, Ph.D. (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Hybrid Co-Chair

Lena Voigt (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Promotion Chair

Immanuel Lautner (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Promotion Co-Chair

Javier Carrillo-Mondéjar (University of Zaragoza)

Local Chair

Raquel Trillo-Lado (University of Zaragoza)

Student Scholarship Chair

Holger Morgenstern (Albstadt-Sigmaringen University)

Rodeo Chair

Razvan Raducu (University of Zaragoza)

Rodeo Chair

Javier Carrillo (University of Zaragoza)

Rodeo Chair

Ricardo J. Rodríguez (University of Zaragoza)

Sponsorships

Daryl Pfeif (DFRWS)

Sponsorships

David-Olivier Jaquet-Chiffelle, Ph.D. (University of Lausanne)

Member at Large

Robert Jan Mora, Bruce Nikkel, Chris Hargreaves

Technical Program Committee

Abm Rezbaul Islam, Ph.D.

Sam Houston State University

Aikaterini Kanta, Ph.D.

University College Dublin

Áine MacDermott, Ph.D.

Liverpool John Moores University

Antonio Casolaro, Ph.D.

Europol

Asanka Sayakkara, Ph.D.

University of Colombo

Chris Hargreaves, Ph.D.

University of Oxford

Christian Keil, Ph.D.

DFN-CERT

Christian Riess, Ph.D.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Cosimo Anglano, Ph.D.

Universitá del Piemonte Orientale

David-Olivier Jaquet-Chiffelle, Ph.D.

University of Lausanne

Edita Bajramovic, Ph.D.

Siemens Energy

Elias Bou-Harb, Ph.D.

University of Texas at San Antonio

Erisa Karafili, Ph.D.

University of Southampton

Erwin Vaneijk

Netherlands Forensic Institute

Farkhund Iqbal, Ph.D.

Zayed University

Felix Freiling, Ph.D.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Frank Adelstein, Ph.D.

NFA Digital, LLC

Frank Breitinger, Ph.D.

University of Lausanne

Gilbert Peterson, Ph.D.

US Air Force Institute of Technology

Giuseppe Totaro, Ph.D.

Europol

Hannes Spichiger, Ph.D.

Hochschule Luzern HSLU

Hanno Langweg, Ph.D.

HTWG Konstanz

Harald Baier, Ph.D.

Universität der Bundeswehr München, Research Institute CODE

Harm Van Beek, Ph.D.

Netherlands Forensic Institute

Holger Morgenstern

Albstadt-Sigmaringen University

Holly Duns

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Irfan Ahmed, Ph.D.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Iwen Coisel, Ph.D.

Europol

Jan Gruber

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Jan Pluskal, Ph.D.

Brno University of Technology

Janine Schneider, Ph.D.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Jan-Niclas Hilgert

Fraunhofer FKIE

Jenny Ottmann

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Jens-Petter Sandvik

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

John Sheppard, Ph.D.

South East Technological University

Mario Hildebrandt, Ph.D.

Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg

Mark Scanlon, Ph.D.

University College Dublin

Marko Schuba, Ph.D.

Aachen University of Applied Sciences

Martin Lambertz

Fraunhofer FKIE

Michael Spreitzenbarth, Ph.D.

Munich Re

Milan Cermak, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Olga Angelopoulou, Ph.D.

University of Warwick

Ondrej Rysavy, Ph.D.

Brno University of Technology

Owen Brady, Ph.D.

King's College London

Owen O'Connor

State Street

Patrick DeSmet, Ph.D.

Nationaal Instituut voor Criminalistiek en Criminologie (NICC/INCC)

Pavel Gladyshev, Ph.D.

University College Dublin

Ricardo J. Rodríguez, Ph.D.

Universidad de Zaragoza

Robert-Jan Mora

Volexity

Saed Alrabaee, Ph.D.

United Arab Emirates University

Sean McKeown, Ph.D.

Edinburgh Napier University

Stefan Kiltz, Ph.D.

University of Magdeburg

Vasilis Katos, Ph.D.

Bournemouth University

Virginia Franqueira, Ph.D.

University of Kent

Wietse Venema, Ph.D.

Google

Xiaolu Zhang, Ph.D.

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Xiaoyu Du, Ph.D.

Maynooth University

Zeno Geradts, Ph.D.

Netherlands Forensic Institute

Registration

Authors – please note that one Full Registration is required (at the in-person rate) for each accepted paper. Any additional authors that attend in-person qualify for reduced registration rates if they are either employed in law enforcement or are full-time students. At the moment, there is still an Early Bird option for €100 discount when registering for the conference.

DFRWS EU 2024 Program

Go to Program