Computer Forensics Demystified
Understanding the nuance investigators face in acquiring and analyzing computer data.
2026
Industry Trends
The State of Digital Investigations in the Private Sector
What’s Changing in Digital Investigations
Digital evidence is central to modern business investigations. As data volumes grow and sources multiply across mobile, cloud and enterprise systems, organizations face rising complexity, risk and compliance demands.
The 2026 Industry Trends in the Private Sector Report shows how enterprises are evolving from reactive investigations to proactive digital resilience.
2026 Snapshot
INVESTIGATIONS ACROSS THE BUSINESS
Digital Evidence Supports Core Functions
Digital investigations now span legal, security and compliance workflows, led by eDiscovery (54%), data theft investigations (46%) and network exploit cases (44%).
MULTI-SOURCE EVIDENCE
Mobile, Cloud and More
Investigations rely on multiple sources, with mobile devices appearing in 66% of cases and both cloud data and computers or local storage present in 46%.
ACCESS & PRIVACY CHALLENGES
Data Collection Remains Difficult
Top challenges include collecting data from chat and messaging apps (54%), acquiring encrypted data (47%) and protecting employee privacy (35%).
AI IN INVESTIGATIONS
From Vision to Practical Impact
In 2026, 57% respondents rated analyzing communications to find links between people as a high-impact investigative capability.
DIGITAL RESILIENCE AHEAD
The Next Opportunity for Organizations
The report shows investigations center on the same digital devices employees use every day. As reliance on these devices grows, testing and validating device controls becomes a key step toward building resilience.
What’s Inside
How digital investigations support legal, security and compliance
Where data collection, encryption and privacy create friction
How organizations manage investigations across data sources
Get the 2026 Industry Trends Report
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