The web-based survey of digital forensic and incident response (DFIR) professionals was conducted from October 4, 2022, to November 1, 2022. The survey targeted North America (NA) and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); these regions account for 94% of the survey’s 492 respondents.
Approximately two-thirds of respondents are from organizations with 500 or more employees, and the respondents represent a broad distribution of 30 different industries and sectors, including:
Security service providers: IR providers, forensic service providers (FSPs) Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), Managed Detection and Response (MDR) providers, etc.
Technology companies: hardware, software, software as a service (SaaS), etc.
Government organizations
Engineering
Manufacturing
Insurance and financial services
Telecommunications
Education
Healthcare
Utilities
The presence of DFIR professionals within such a wide range of organizations is likely a byproduct of the evolving threat landscape, in which every organization—no matter size or industry—is a potential target of cyberattacks.
The respondents occupy a variety of roles within their respective organizations, with the most common having clear association with information technology (IT), security, and governance:
DFIR / Forensics
IT leadership
Governance / Regulation / Compliance (GRC)
IT security
Infrastructure / Operations