Europol: digital forensics is struggling to keep pace

Europol published on 16 October 2026 "Digital forensics: gap analysis", a report coordinated by the European Commission in cooperation with Europol and drawing on stakeholder consultations, surveys and contributions from specialists at Europol's European Cybercrime Centre. Its central finding: investigative tools, resources and expertise are struggling to keep pace with the forms and volume of digital evidence that modern technologies create.

The report notes that encryption, cloud storage, connected vehicles and Internet of Things devices complicate access to data, that capabilities vary across Member States, and that costly tools quickly become outdated while differing data formats and validation practices hamper cross-border cooperation. It proposes common standards, closer engagement with manufacturers, shared platforms and tools offered as a service, tailored training and coordinated tool development.

On artificial intelligence, the report says it can help analyze large datasets and generate leads, but that AI-assisted forensic work must be transparent, traceable, documented and reproducible, with original evidence preserved and a clear chain of custody so that findings hold up in court.

Why it matters The same gaps affect private investigations. Evidence gathered from devices, cloud accounts or online sources is only useful if its collection can be explained and repeated, and the report's insistence on traceable, verifiable AI-assisted work is a standard any investigative team can apply now.