In digital forensics, reliability is everything. Yet forensic tools face a growing challenge: keeping up with the rapid pace of mobile application updates. A new academic publication presents a promising solution, introducing Puma — an open-source mobile data synthesis framework designed to help forensic teams automatically validate their tools as apps evolve.
The paper outlines how Puma enables developers and forensic analysts to simulate user actions across Android applications, generating reference datasets that reflect real-world usage scenarios. This supports robust and repeatable tool testing, crucial for platforms like Hansken, where automated workflows must deliver both precision and transparency.
What makes this work particularly relevant for Hansken is its integration into a validation pipeline. As part of the research, Puma was used to test the Hansken platform over a six-month period, tracking changes in app-generated artifacts and improving the accuracy of forensic trace interpretation. The framework complements Hansken’s mission: to enable trustworthy digital investigations at scale.
The publication also contributes to the broader digital forensics community by:
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Sharing reusable datasets and scripts for validating other tools.
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Feeding results into the SOLVE-IT knowledge base, mapping known weaknesses and mitigations in forensic analysis.
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Supporting future-proofing of forensic workflows as AI integration accelerates automation.
Both Puma’s source code and the reference datasets are openly available for further use and development.
This research represents a meaningful step toward more robust, transparent, and automated validation of forensic platforms — a direction that aligns with Hansken’s long-term goals of openness and scientific rigor in digital evidence processing.
Presentation publication in Seoul @DFRWS
Two members of the Hansken team will present this research at the DFRWS APAC 2025 conference, held in Seoul, South Korea, from 10–12 November. The conference brings together academic researchers, industry professionals, and law enforcement experts in the field of digital forensics. By presenting at DFRWS, Hansken contributes to the global dialogue on innovation, reliability, and openness in digital forensic practice. It also highlights Hansken’s active role in collaborative, science-driven development.
About DFRWS APAC
The Digital Forensic Research Workshop Asia–Pacific (DFRWS APAC) is part of the internationally respected DFRWS conference series. Now in its fifth edition, the APAC event serves as a hub for digital forensics researchers and practitioners across the Asia–Pacific region. The 2025 conference in Seoul will be hosted in a hybrid format, with participants joining both on-site and through regional satellite locations. DFRWS is known for fostering cutting-edge research, open discussions, and real-world solutions in the digital forensics community.