Richard B. Adams

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Richard Brian Adams
Richard Adams03.jpg
Richard Brian Adams
NationalityAustralian
Alma materMurdoch University; Curtin University
Occupation(s)Digital forensics practitioner; expert witness; academic
Years active1990s–present
Known forAdvanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM); Advanced Framework for Evaluating Remote Agents (AFERA); ISEEK distributed collection tool

Richard Brian Adams is an Australian digital forensics practitioner, expert witness and academic based in Perth. He is known for the Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM), published in 2013, and for the Advanced Framework for Evaluating Remote Agents (AFERA), the subject of his 2023 doctoral thesis at Curtin University. He also co-authored the 2017 paper introducing ISEEK, a high-speed distributed forensic acquisition tool. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Education

Adams earned a PhD in Information Technology at Murdoch University, where he developed the ADAM process model for digital evidence acquisition. [1] He later completed a second PhD in Information Systems at Curtin University, producing AFERA, a structured framework for evaluating tools that use remote agents for live, distributed collections. [2] Holding two separate PhDs in science and technology disciplines is rare; less than 1% of doctoral graduates earn a second doctorate. [4]

He has also published on cloud forensics in an edited volume by IGI Global. [5]

Career

Adams worked in information systems and software for investigative and law-enforcement contexts in the United Kingdom before relocating to Australia (self-published). He served as a Principal in the Forensics division of Deloitte Australia between 2004 and 2013, subsequently practicing as an independent expert witness and consultant (self-published). [6]

A third-party speaker profile describes him as “a leading cyber forensics practitioner,” notes his decade as a Deloitte Principal, lists investigations spanning fraud, stalking and murder, and references academic roles with the University of Western Australia's Centre for Forensic Science and Curtin University. [7]

Adams has also contributed articles to the Australian Cyber Security Magazine, including “Hybrid Forensics” in Issue 4 (2018) [8] and “Beyond application whitelisting” in Issue 6 (2018). [9]

Research and frameworks

Adams's 2013 paper proposed the Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM). [1] The model has since been discussed in reviews and comparative studies of forensic process models. [10] [11] [12]

His 2023 thesis introduced AFERA, a framework for evaluating tools that use distributed agents. [2]

Tools and development

Adams co-authored the 2017 paper on ISEEK, a distributed acquisition and search tool. [3] Adams has been heavily involved in the development of ISeek and ILooKIX since 2013. A neutral vendor directory describes ISEEK/XISuite as enabling remote keyword searches and data retrieval “without the need for pre-installed agents.” [13]

Expert witness and forensic analysis

According to Adams's public profiles (self-published), he has provided expert evidence in Australian District, Supreme and Federal courts. [14]

Impact and reception

The ADAM framework has been cited in independent literature as a reference point for fairness in digital evidence, ethics in forensic investigation, drone forensics, and evolving systems. [10] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Selected publications

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Adams, Richard; Hobbs, Valerie H.; Mann, Graham M. (2013). "The Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM): A Process Model for Digital Forensic Practice". Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law. 8 (4). Association of Digital Forensics, Security and Law: 25–48. ISSN   1558-7215 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Adams, Richard Brian (2023). The Advanced Framework for Evaluating Remote Agents (AFERA): A Framework for Digital Forensic Practitioners (PhD thesis). Curtin University. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Adams, Richard; Mann, Graham; Hobbs, Valerie (2017). "ISEEK: A tool for high speed, concurrent, distributed forensic data acquisition". Proceedings of the 15th Australian Digital Forensics Conference. Edith Cowan University. pp. 1–9. doi:10.4225/75/5a838d3b1d27f . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Second PhDs: How rare are they?". Times Higher Education. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Adams, Richard (2012). "The Emergence of Cloud Storage and the Need for a New Digital Forensic Process Model". In Ruan, Keyun (ed.). Cybercrime and Cloud Forensics: Applications for Investigation Processes. IGI Global. pp. 49–69. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-2662-1.ch004 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "Computer Forensics Investigations". RichardAdams.com.au. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Professor (Ret.) Richard Adams". Cruise Ship Enrichment. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  8. ↑ Adams, Richard (2018). "Hybrid Forensics". Australian Cyber Security Magazine. No. 4. MySecurity Media. pp. 38–41. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Adams, Richard (2018). "Beyond application whitelisting". Australian Cyber Security Magazine. No. 6. MySecurity Media. pp. 10–13. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  10. 1 2 Casino, F.; Dasaklis, T. K.; Spathoulas, G. P. (2022). "Research trends, challenges, and emerging topics in digital forensics: A review of reviews". IEEE Access. 10. IEEE: 114527–114548. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3214567. ISSN   2169-3536 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  11. ↑ Montasari, R. (2017). "A standardised data acquisition process model for digital forensic investigations". International Journal of Information and Computer Security. 9 (2). Inderscience: 155–174. ISSN   1751-5858 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  12. ↑ Horsman, G.; Sunde, N. (2022). "Unboxing the digital forensic investigation process". Science & Justice. 62 (3). Elsevier: 339–347. doi:10.1016/j.scijus.2022.03.004. ISSN   1355-0306 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  13. ↑ "XISUITE by XtremeForensics". Legaltech Hub. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  14. ↑ "Richard Adams – SlideShare profile". SlideShare. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  15. ↑ Stoykova, R. (2021). "Digital evidence: Unaddressed threats to fairness and the presumption of innocence". Computer Law & Security Review. 41 105556. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.clsr.2021.105556. ISSN   0267-3649 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  16. ↑ Ferguson, R. I.; Renaud, K.; Wilford, S. (2020). "PRECEPT: a framework for ethical digital forensics investigations". Journal of Intellectual Capital. 21 (6). Emerald: 1001–1017. doi:10.1108/JIC-07-2020-0250. ISSN   1469-1930 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  17. ↑ Mantas, E.; Patsakis, C. (2022). "Who watches the new watchmen? The challenges for drone digital forensics investigations". Array. 14 100162. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.array.2022.100162. ISSN   2590-0056 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  18. ↑ Spichiger, H.; Adelstein, F. (2025). "Preserving meaning of evidence from evolving systems". Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation. 45 301546. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.fsidi.2025.301546. ISSN   2666-2817 . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
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