University College Dublin

Assoc. Prof. Mark Scanlon

Associate Professor
School of Computer Science, University College Dublin

Academic researcher and educator in digital forensics, cybersecurity, and AI-supported investigation.

View Publications Prospective PhD Students Research / Collaborate

Mark Scanlon Associate Professor at UCD and Founding Director of the Forensics and Security Research Group, working at the intersection of digital forensics, cybersecurity, and applied AI.

Research Profile

Digital forensics, cybersecurity, and applied AI

Mark Scanlon is an Associate Professor in University College Dublin’s (UCD’s) School of Computer Science and Founding Director of the Forensics and Security Research Group. He is a Fulbright Scholar in Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Investigation.

His research interests sit at the intersection of digital forensics, cybersecurity, and applied AI, developing and rigorously evaluating methods and tools that make digital evidence acquisition and analysis more efficient, automated, reliable, and reproducible.

Explore research themes

Digital Forensics

Digital evidence acquisition and analysis methods that improve efficiency, reliability, automation, and reproducibility.

Cybersecurity

Security research connected to forensic readiness, cybercrime investigation, and practical investigative workflows.

AI for Forensics

Applied AI methods for evidence processing, investigation support, tool testing, and forensic workflow automation.

Computer Vision for Investigations

Computer vision approaches for digital forensic tasks including image analysis and investigative triage.

Cloud, IoT, and DFaaS

Research on cloud services, Internet of Things devices, Digital Forensics as a Service, and large-scale evidence handling.

Forensic Education

Teaching and curriculum activity in computer forensics, cybercrime investigation, and specialist digital investigation modules.

Recent Output

Selected Publications

Full Publications List

2026
Objects as Universal Geolocation Cues: A Computer Vision Approach
Kanwal Aftab; Mark Scanlon
13th Annual Digital Forensics Research Workshop Europe (DFRWS EU 2026)
- Computer Vision for Investigations
- Digital Forensics
Publication page
2026
AutoDFBench 1.0: A benchmarking framework for digital forensic tool testing and generated code evaluation
Akila Wickramasekara; Tharusha Mihiranga; Aruna Withanage; Buddhima Weerasinghe; Frank Breitinger; John Sheppard; Mark Scanlon
Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation Vol. 56 Article 302055
- AI for Forensics
- Digital Forensics
Publication page
2026
Plug to place: Indoor multimedia geolocation from electrical sockets for digital investigation
Kanwal Aftab; Graham Adams; Mark Scanlon
Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation Vol. 56 Article 302056
- Computer Vision for Investigations
- AI for Forensics
Publication page
2026
VAAS: Vision-Attention Anomaly Scoring for image manipulation detection in digital forensics
Opeyemi Bamigbade; Mark Scanlon; John Sheppard
Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation Vol. 56 Article 302063
- Computer Vision for Investigations
- AI for Forensics
Publication page

Academic Activity

Teaching and Service

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Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation: Senior Editor (2020-Date)
International Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law: Associate Editor (2017-2019); Special Issue Editor (2017); Editorial Board Member (2014-Date)
Digital Forensics Research Workshop EU (DFRWS EU): Scheduling Chair (2023); Chair (2021); Web Chair (2017); Web Chair (2017); TPC Vice-Chair (2016); TPC Member (2014-Date); Local Arrangements Chair (2015); Session Chair (2015-2017)
International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security (ARES): Chair (2024); TPC Member (2013-Date); Session Chair (2015)

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Supervision

Prospective PhD Students

Research projects are negotiable with interested students and should be in one of the listed digital forensics research areas.

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