What the Hack? Episode 222: Heather Barnhart Hunts Digital Ghosts
Oct 21, 2025
Heather Barnhart, a digital forensics expert and Head of Faculty at the SANS Institute, dives into her experiences decoding Osama bin Laden's phones and analyzing Brian Kohberger's case. She discusses how her past harassment shaped her career focus, the evolution of digital forensics, and the challenges posed by encryption and AI. Heather uncovers criminals' tactics, such as deletion behaviors and mistakes that can lead to evidence. She also shares simple safety practices for online security and the rewarding nature of a career in forensics.
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Early Harassment Shaped Her Focus
- Heather Barnhart described being anonymously harassed via the Nimbus app with creepy texts about her feet and location details.
- The app vendor refused to provide identifying data, so she could only block the number and felt vulnerable.
Tools Can Mislead Examiners
- Digital forensics is constantly changing and demands skilled examiners who understand tool limitations.
- Tools can mislead; examiners must validate context like syncing or system-generated artifacts.
Deletion Created A Suspicious Gap
- Barnhart explained Brian Kohberger turned his phone off and deleted PC data, creating an abnormal gap in his pattern of life.
- That deletion behavior and timing (phone off at 100% two hours before murders) became a key evidentiary anomaly.