56% are either likely to leave DFIR within 12 months or unsure if they’ll stay.

DFIR Is Burning People Out. 

Digital forensics has a burnout problem. This isn't new news, but it is important.

Forensic Focus and Northumbria University are running an anonymous international well-being survey for current and former digital forensic investigators, and for people working in digital-forensic environments. If you’ve done the work, this applies to you.

The early data is ugly. In the first 80 completed responses, 36% said they were likely to leave the profession within 12 months. Another 20% were unsure. Nearly half had more than 10 years in the field. That means experienced people are looking for the door.

It’s not just traumatic material. Backlogs, time pressure, poor management support, and work-life strain are all hitting hard. Nearly 90% also reported no structured psychological supervision, or only getting it on an ad hoc basis. That's not support.

The survey is anonymous. No name. No employer. No identifying information. It takes about 30 minutes. IP tracking and cookies are disabled. You can finish it during a lunch break. No excuses.

If this field has burned you down, say it where it counts. Water cooler talk moves nothing. Research can move the needle.

Take the Anonymous Well-Being Survey

I wrote about burnout years ago because the problem was obvious long before the surveys showed up (Only race cars should burnout). 

Stress in this field is like carrying a heavy pack for miles on end and eventually forget it’s there (some of you know that personally...). Then you set it down and realize how much it was taking out of you the entire time. DFIR is no different, except the load is mental, and that makes it easier to hide, easier to normalize, and easier to underestimate until the damage is already done. It's invisible, unlike the back and knee issues a physical backpack can cause.

If you are looking to impart good into the field and don't know where to start, this is it.