Magnet Forensics Shares 2026 State of the Enterprise DFIR Report

Magnet Forensics has just published the sixth annual edition of the report!State of Enterprise DFIR!

Based on a survey of more than 360 private sector DFIR professionals, the report offers insights into the latest challenges facing enterprise investigation teams and forensic service providers, and serves as a valuable planning tool for the year ahead.

Review this summary of the four key findings that are shaping enterprise digital research in 2026, and view the full report to dive deeper into the findings.

1. AI is raising the bar… and also the risk… of digital investigations

AI has become the dominant force transforming digital forensics. 68% of respondents already use AI in their research, a significant increase from 20% in 2024.

Researchers say AI helps them process more data, recognize patterns faster, and classify evidence more accurately. At the same time, malicious actors are also leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks.

2. The need for real-time collaboration drives SaaS adoption

Digital investigations are now more transversal, complex and distributed. Real-time collaboration increased 24% year-over-year as the main reason for adopting SaaS-based research tools.

80% of respondents say these tools allow them to scale investigations as needed, and 79% consider meeting data residency and security requirements essential.

Collaboration between geographies, business units and different actors is no longer an added value: it is a fundamental requirement.

3. Mobile evidence is essential… but increasingly difficult to obtain

Mobile devices remain one of the richest sources of digital evidence. 61% of respondents say they always or often rely on mobile data, and 66% say the number of devices per research is increasing.

However, limited extraction of mobile data has been the main challenge for three consecutive years. Access is becoming increasingly restricted due to improvements in operating system security, encryption, privacy regulations, and MDM controls.

4. As tools grow, integration becomes key

Researchers are adopting specialized tools to address new data sources, investigative techniques, and compliance requirements, causing toolkits to continue to expand.

The average number of tools used per case increased from 5.5 to 7.1 in the last year.

This trend reflects broader needs, but also creates significant friction in workflows such as managing multiple tools, correlating results, and reporting consistency.

What's next for digital investigations?

The 2026 report reveals that the same technologies that strengthen investigations are also redefining the risks they must face.

This means that investigative preparation is no longer just a technical issue, but also one of leadership.

The ability to respond effectively will depend on how organizations prepare their teams to operate at scale: aligning tools, processes, governance and talent to achieve speed without sacrificing robustness, transparency or trust.