The purpose of the International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security (ISDFS) is to bring together scientists and experts working predominantly in areas such as cybersecurity, digital forensics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptology, and related fields. The aim is to facilitate mutual exchange of ideas and foster collaborative research through the networks established among the participants. This event is not limited to the aforementioned topics but also addresses other information technology-related subjects, taking into account technological advancements.
Particularly over the past decade, the prevalence of cyberattacks, various forms of fraud, and the misuse of AI capabilities in the digital world have significantly increased the relevance and value of ISDFS. While these technological developments offer numerous conveniences, they unfortunately also give rise to many ethical issues.
The ISDFS conference was first held in 2013 at Fırat University in Turkey. Subsequent editions took place at Sam Houston State University in the USA (2014), Gazi University in Turkey (2015), and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the USA (2016). Starting in 2016, papers accepted for ISDFS began being published in IEEE Xplore, the world’s largest digital library.
In 2017, ISDFS was hosted by the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Tirgu Mures in Romania. The 2018 edition was held in Antalya, Turkey, sponsored by Fırat University. In 2019, it was organized in Portugal at the Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 ISDFS was held online from Beirut, Lebanon. The 2021 edition returned to Elazığ, Turkey, hosted again by Fırat University, and in 2022, Maltepe University in Istanbul served as the host.
With each passing year, ISDFS has grown larger and more prestigious on a global scale. To further enhance this positive momentum, it was decided that starting in 2023, ISDFS would primarily be held in the United States.
The 2023 edition of ISDFS took place at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the United States. That year marked a turning point, as the IEEE Education Society became a technical sponsor. The 2024 event was held at Trinity University in San Antonio, USA, again with the technical support of the IEEE Education Society.
ISDFS is conducted under the framework of a consortium, and the institutions involved may vary each year. However, Association of Software and Cyber Security of Türkiye, Fırat University, Gazi University, and Sam Houston State University have remained permanent members of the consortium since its inception.
The 2025 ISDFS conference will be held in Boston, USA, on April 24–25, 2025, hosted by Wentworth Institute of Technology. Consortium members for the 2025 edition included the IEEE Education Society, the Association of Software and Cyber Security of Türkiye, and universities such as Gazi, Hacettepe, Maltepe, Fırat, Ondokuz Mayıs, and Yıldız Technical from Turkey; Sam Houston State, Trinity, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Wentworth Institute of Technology from the USA; the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave from Portugal; Singidunum University from Serbia; and TELUQ University from Canada.
Each year, ISDFS has seen an increase in paper submissions. For the 2025 event, a total of 324 papers were submitted, and based on the reviewers’ evaluations, 159 were accepted for presentation, resulting in an acceptance rate of 49%. Submissions came from 34 different countries: Algeria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Türkiye, UAE, UK, and the US.
Successful execution of a conference requires teamwork. One of the greatest strengths of ISDFS is that it is organized through a consortium. Therefore, I would first like to thank all consortium members. I extend my gratitude to the former President of the IEEE Education Society, Prof. Dr. Martin Llamas Nistal; the current President, Prof. Dr. Arnold Pears; and the IEEE Education Society’s Conference Chair, Prof. Dr. Diana Andone, for their technical support in organizing the 2025 edition under the IEEE Education Society.
I would like to extend my special thanks to the scholars who have served as reviewers for ISDFS conferences over the years. I am well aware that they have dedicated a significant amount of time to thoroughly evaluating the submitted papers.
I also thank Prof. Dr. Cihan Varol and Prof. Dr. Murat Karabatak for their tireless energy and long-standing support behind the scenes of the ISDFS conference.
Special thanks to Prof. Dr. Ahad Nasab, with whom I’ve worked closely since 2023 to ensure ISDFS could be held in the United States, and to Prof. Dr. Hamadou Saliah-Hassane from TELUQ University for his contributions.
I express my appreciation to the Honorary Committee members and consortium representatives, including the Rector of Fırat University, Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Göktaş; the Rector of Maltepe University, Prof. Dr. Edibe Sözen; the former President of The University of Tennessee, Prof. Dr. Steven R. Angle; and Provost Prof. Dr. Jerold Hale, for their support.
I am grateful to the President of Wentworth Institute of Technology, Prof. Dr. Mark A. Thomson; Provost Prof. Dr. Sophia A. Maggelakis; Dean of the School of Computing & Data Science, Prof. Dr. Leonidas Deligiannidis; and especially to Assist. Prof. Dr. Ashar Neyaz, who diligently served as the 2025 ISDFS Chair, along with the entire local team at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Special thanks also go to the students and administrative staff of the School of Computing & Data Science, whose contributions were vital to the successful completion of this event.
April 18, 2025
Respectfully,
Prof. Dr. Asaf Varol
Founding Chair of ISDFS
