Understanding the forensic technology landscape

As technology continues to evolve rapidly and forensic accountants continue to innovate the ways in which these technologies are used in forensic services engagements, it's essential for practitioners to have a working knowledge and understanding of the wide variety of technologies and analytics available to assist with their engagements.

Originally published in 2020 and updated in 2025, this guide reflects the evolving forensic technology landscape with added coverage of artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, cloud-based analytics, blockchain, and cybersecurity. The updated version helps practitioners stay current with tools and concepts that are increasingly shaping how forensic services are delivered.

This reference guide provides a roadmap for practitioners and summarizes the vast array of tools, techniques and approaches into major groups of technologies used in forensic engagements. For each of the major groups, the reference guide provides an overview of the technology, a description of typical use cases, and references to additional resources to acquire and learn more about the technology, making it a valuable resource for practitioners looking to navigate today’s complex technology landscape with clarity and confidence.