Professional Employment
Since 2024
Endowed Full Professor of Digital Forensics
Open Universiteit (OUNL), Faculty of Science
link
1998 - 2009
Founder, Co-owner and CTO
ISAAC Software Solutions & Web Solutions BV
Key Publications & Papers
Mar 2026
Connecting File Timestamps: A Formal Approach
L. Hornung, H. Jonker, H. van Beek. Digital Forensic Doctorate Symposium (DFDS) 2026
DOI
Mar 2026 Hansken
Structured Report Generation using Local LLMs for Chat-Based Digital Forensics
Y. Dehing, H. Henseler, T. Meconi, M. Worring, H. van Beek. Digital Forensic Doctorate Symposium (DFDS) 2026
DOI
Sep 2025 | Inaugural Lecture
Digital Traces: Clearly Unclear
H. van Beek. Open Universiteit, Heerlen
DOI
NL
EN
Jul 2025
Criminalistic zoom levels: Unravelling the hierarchy of forensic traces
H. van Beek, C. van den Pol, J. van der Weerd. Forensic Science International
DOI
Apr 2025 SOLVE-IT
SOLVE-IT: A proposed digital forensic knowledge base
C. Hargreaves, H. van Beek, E. Casey. Digital Forensic Research Conference (DFRWS) EU 2025
DOI
Dec 2020 Hansken
ChatGPT as a copilot for investigating digital evidence
H. Henseler, H. van Beek. LegalAIIA 2023, in conjunction with ICAIL 2023
link
Dec 2020 DFaaSHansken
Digital Forensics as a Service: Stepping up the game
H. van Beek, J. van den Bos, A. Boztas, E. van Eijk, R. Schramp, M. Ugen. Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation
DOI
Sep 2017 CASE
Advancing coordinated cyber-investigations and tool interoperability using a community developed specification language
E. Casey, S. Barnum, R. Griffith, J. Snyder, H. van Beek, A. Nelson. Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation
DOI
Dec 2015 DFaaS Hansken
Digital Forensics as a Service: Game On
H. van Beek, E. van Eijk, R. van Baar, M. Ugen, J. Bodde, A. Siemelink. Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation
DOI
May 2014 DFaaS
Digital Forensics as a Service: a Game Changer
R. van Baar, H. van Beek, E. van Eijk. Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation
DOI
Jun 2005 | PhD thesis
Specification and Analysis of Internet Applications
H. van Beek. Eindhoven University of Technology
DOI
Selected Keynotes & Talks
Keynote | Sep 2025 Hansken
Hansken - transforming digital investigations
CINTiA 2025, AGH University, Krakow, Poland
Inaugural Lecture | Sep 2025
Digitale sporen: duidelijk onduidelijk
Open Universiteit, Heerlen, The Netherlands
Techtalk | Jun 2025
How digital evidence works
Cyber Warfare Centre, Ministry of Defense, Huis ter Heide, The Netherlands
Talk | Jun 2025 Hansken
Introducing the Hansken Academic Network
Computer Science Department, Open Universiteit, The Netherlands
Talk | Mar 2025
Introducing OUNL to the Hansken Community
Hansken Quarterly, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Talk | Dec 2024
How digital evidence works
Intelligence Insight, LIEC and RIECs on subversion, virtual
Talk | Nov 2024 Hansken
Providing remote access to criminal case data to defense lawyers
NFI 25th anniversary symposium, The Hague, The Netherlands
Talk | Oct 2024
Strengthening the DF foundation at Open Universiteit
3rd Hansken.io, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Keynote | Sep 2024
How digital evidence works
I&I Study day, Open Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Keynote | Mar 2024
How digital evidence works
DevConf 2024, Heerlen, The Netherlands
Talk | Jan 2024
Destroying Digital traces containing privileged communication
Ministry of Justice & Security, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Talk | Oct 2023 Hansken
ChatGPT as a co-pilot for investigating digital evidence
CLHC Colloquium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Talk | Mar 2023 Hansken
Hansken, the past, the present and the future
NFI Science Café, The Hague, The Netherlands
Keynote | Sep 2022 DFaaS
Lessons learned from implementing DFaaS
DFRWS APAC 2022 (hybrid), Adelaide, Australia
Talk | Jun 2022
What makes software forensic? And how do you engineer it?
Tweakers Developers Summit, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Keynote | Oct 2021 Hansken
Towards the use of AI in digital investigations
4th Hansken Community Day, virtual
Keynote | Sep 2019
Digital Forensics, what is that all about?
Computer Science day, Open Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Talk | Sep 2019 CASE
Introduction to CASE
Forensic Experts Forum (FEF), Europol European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), The Hague, The Netherlands
Talk | Mar 2019 Hansken
Introduction to Hansken
EU Standing Committee COSI, Bucharest, Romania
Talk | Nov 2018
Agile software development for digital forensics
Theme day `Forensic investigation under development', Police Academy, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
Talk | Sep 2018 DFaaS
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
ENFSI Forensic IT Workgroup, St.Petersburg, Russia
Talk | May 2018 DFaaS
Digital Forensics as a Service, what's that all about?
Theme day `Never a dull moment', Knowledge Center Cybercrime for the Judiciary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Talk | Mar 2017
Knowledge + data = traces
Symposium `Technology and Society', Hogeschool Zuyd, Heerlen, The Netherlands
Talk | Sep 2016 DFaaS CASE
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
EVIDENCE Annual Conference: Digital Evidence Trends and Perspectives, The Hague, The Netherlands
Talk | Aug 2016 DFaaS
Digital Forensics as a Service: an update
DFRWS USA 2016, Seattle, USA
Talk | Apr 2014 DFaaS
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
Spring Days on Cyber-Security, Institute for Programming research and Algorithmics (IPA), Putten, The Netherlands
Talk | Apr 2013 DFaaS
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
Platform for the Information Society members special `Big Data in practice', VNO-NCW, The Hague, The Netherlands
Talk | Mar 2013 DFaaS
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
Pre-summit Hadoop User Group meetup, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Talk | Aug 2012
Introduction to XIRAF
European Academy on Forensic Science (EAFS 2012), The Hague, The Netherlands
Talk | Jun 2012
Digital Forensics, what's that all about?
MacFAN Alumni colloquium, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Community
Program Committee member | Since 2021
International Workshop on Digital Forensics (ARES WSDF)
2026: Linköping, Sweden; 2025: Ghent, Belgium; 2024: Vienna, Austria; 2023: Benevento, Italy; 2022: Vienna, Austria; 2021: virtual
Program Committee member | Since 2021
Digital Forensic Research Conference Europe (DFRWS-EU)
2026: Linköping, Sweden; 2025: Brno, Czechia; 2024: Zaragoza, Spain; 2023: Bonn, Germany; 2022: Oxford, United Kingdom; 2021: (virtual)
Program Committee member | Since 2025
Digital Forensic Doctoral Symposium (DFDS)
2026: Linköping, Sweden; 2025: Brno, Czechia
Expert Group member | Since May 2019
Expert Group of the Cyber Crime Knowledge Center for the Netherlands Judiciary
Gerechtshof Den Haag, Rechtspraak
Advisory Board member | Since Apr 2020
CSAFE Research and Technology Transfer Advisory Board
Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE), Iowa State University, United States
Advisory Board member | Since Sep 2023
Education Advisory Committee (OAC) of the University of Applied Sciences Leiden
Digital Forensics education program (bachelor Forensic ICT, master Digital Forensics)
Editorial Board member | Since Oct 2025
Editorial Board of the Journal for Safety (Tijdschrift voor Veiligheid, TvV)
Stichting Veiligheidspublicaties (SVP), published by Koninklijke Boom Uitgevers
Conference track co-organizer | Mar 2026
Digital Exchange XL Science 2026 (DEX-XL Science)
Noordwijkerhout, NL
Conference co-organizer | Mar 2026, Apr 2025, Mar 2024, Mar 2023
Digital Forensic Research Conference Europe (DFRWS-EU)
2026: Linköping, Sweden (keynote chair);
2025: Brno, Czechia (presentation chair);
2024: Zaragoza, Spain (workshop chair);
2023: Bonn, Germany (rodeo chair)
2025: Brno, Czechia (presentation chair);
2024: Zaragoza, Spain (workshop chair);
2023: Bonn, Germany (rodeo chair)
Symposium organizer | Sep 2025
Digitale sporen op de juridische weegschaal
Open Universiteit, Heerlen, The Netherlands
Brainstorm participator | Aug 2024
Registering Court Experts on Digital Forensics
NRGD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Panel Discussion co-organizer | Jul 2024
Panel discussion on Formal Methods in Digital Forensics
DFRWS USA, Baton Rouge, USA
Stakeholder Day organizer | Jun 2024
Stakeholder day 'towards digital data forensics at the NFI'
The Hague, The Netherlands
Brainstorm co-organizer | May 2022
On the Future of Digital Forensics
Brainstorm by NRGD, EAFS 2022, Stockholm, Sweden
Guest Lectures
Guest Lecture | Mar 2026
NFI Court experts
Criminal Evidence, Master of Laws, Open Universiteit
Guest Lecture | Nov 2025
Introduction to forensics data analysis
Forensic advisors for the Dutch Judiciary, SSR/NFI
Guest Lecture | Nov 2025, Oct 2024, May 2023, Jun 2021
Recording and reporting digital forensic investigations
Software engineers, NFI
Guest Lecture | Oct 2025, Oct 2024, Oct 2023
Large scale digital forensics
Master Information Security, NTNU, Norway (virtual)
Guest Lecture | Oct 2025, Sep 2024, May 2023, Oct 2021, Jan 2018
NFI court experts and the Dutch criminal law
Software engineers, NFI
Guest Lecture | Sep 2025, Dec 2023, Jun 2023, Mar 2023 Hansken
Introduction to Hansken
Judges in training, SSR/NFI
Guest Lecture | Mar 2025, Mar 2024, Mar 2023
Large scale forensic data analysis
Master Forensic Science, University of Amsterdam
Guest Lecture | Mar 2025
Digital Evidence. What is that all about?
IT in the context of Law, Bachelor Law, University of Groningen
Guest Lecture | Oct 2024
What is data? From data to digital traces
Training and study centre for the judiciary, recorded lecture
Guest Lecture | Sep 2024, May 2023
Digital forensic investigations at the NFI
Software engineers, NFI
Guest Lecture | Jan 2024, Feb 2023, Feb 2022
Introduction to Digital Evidence
Advanced Master Law and Digital Technology, Leiden University
Guest Lecture | Feb 2023 Hansken
AI-assisted digital investigations in Hansken
Interpol Virtual Training Room for Digital Experts (virtual)
Guest Lecture | Sep 2022, Feb 2021, Nov 2019, Jan 2014
Introduction to Digital Forensics
Forensic Coordinators in training, Netherlands Police Academy
Guest Lecture | Jan 2022
Why should algorithms find digital evidence?
Team Follow the Money, Netherlands Public Prosecutor Service
Guest Lecture | Aug 2019 DFaaS
Introduction to Digital Forensics as a Service
Summer School on Computational Forensics, Norway
Guest Lecture | Apr 2019 Hansken
Technical and judicial aspects of the use of Hansken
National Meeting of Forensic Prosecutors, SSR
Guest Lecture | Jul 2017, Mar 2009 - Jul 2017 Hansken
Hansken/Xiraf training
Case investigators and analysts, NFI & Netherlands Police Academy (>100 sessions)
Guest Lecture | Jun 2017, Jun 2016
Digital Forensics for the Judiciary
Cyber Crime Knowledge Center for the Netherlands Judiciary
Guest Lecture | Jun 2012
Introduction to Digital Forensics
University of Luxemburg, Luxemburg
Guest Lecture | Feb 2012
Introduction to Digital Forensics
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Workshops
Workshop | Mar 2026, Oct 2025 SOLVE-ITHansken
SOLVE-IT: improving the quality of digital investigations
2026: DEX-XL, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands;
2025: Hansken.io 2025, The Hague, The Netherlands
2025: Hansken.io 2025, The Hague, The Netherlands
Workshop | May 2025 DFaaSHansken
Expanding DFaaS: Insights and Innovations in the Hansken Platform
EAFS 2025, Dublin, Ireland
Workshop | Apr 2025 Hansken
Hansken Academic Network: Collaborating on Research and Education
DFRWS EU 2025, Brno, Czechia
Workshop | Apr 2025 Hansken
Practitioner Challenges for Academics: Discussion and Idea Generation
DFRWS EU 2025, Brno, Czechia
Workshop | Sep 2024 Hansken
Hansken Academic Network
Hansken.io 2024, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (coordinator)
Workshop | Sep 2024 Hansken
Finding digital evidence with Hansken
I&I Study day, Open Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Workshop | Jun 2024
Introduction to digital traces
SSR Day of the examining magistrate (EM), Utrecht, The Netherlands
Workshop | Jun 2024
Handling and destroying legal privileged communication
SSR Day of the EM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Workshop | Jun 2024
Handling and destroying legal privileged communication
FP Academy, Egmond aan zee, The Netherlands
Workshop | Mar 2024 CASE
CASEW0rks
DFRWS EU 2024, Zaragoza, Spain
Workshop | Nov 2023 Hansken
Hansken scripting and plug-ins
Lausanne University (UNIL), Switzerland (virtual)
Workshop | Sep 2023, Dec 2021 Hansken
Hands-on with Hansken
2023: OM Cyber Academy, Soestduinen, The Netherlands;
2021: Cybercrime congres, BijzonderStrafrecht Academie, The Hague, The Netherlands
2021: Cybercrime congres, BijzonderStrafrecht Academie, The Hague, The Netherlands
Workshop | Jul 2023, Mar 2023 DFaaS
Providing digital forensics as a service with code notebooks
2023: DFRWS USA (hybrid), Baltimore, USA;
2023: DFRWS EU (hybrid), Bonn, Germany
2023: DFRWS EU (hybrid), Bonn, Germany
Workshop | Sep 2022 DFaaS
How to provide Digital Forensics as a Service
DFRWS APAC 2022 (hybrid), Adelaide, Australia
Workshop | Jun 2022 Hansken
Hansken, the open platform for digital forensic investigations
EAFS 2022, Stockholm, Sweden
Workshop | May 2022
The principles of Forensic Science
EAFS 2022, Stockholm, Sweden
Workshop | Mar 2022 DFaaS
The Future of Digital Forensics as a Service
DFRWS EU 2022 (hybrid), Oxford, United Kingdom
Workshop | Jun 2019 CASE
CASE Minimum Viable Product
NIST National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, Rockville, USA
Workshop | Mar 2018 CASE
CASE Technical Implementation
DFRWS EU 2018, Florence, Italy
Selected Media & Interviews
Article | Jan 2026
Je telefoon weet of je liegt: wij keken mee in het lab
De Stentor, M. Simons
Article
Article | Sep 2025
Oratie Harm van Beek: van digitale sporen naar betrouwbaar bewijs
NFI.nl, E. Marijt
Article
Article | Aug 2025 Hansken
NFI-platform Hansken actief in zeventien landen
ICT/Magazine, K. Loohuis
Article
Interview | May 2025 Hansken
Hansken helpt bij filteren toegang tot digitale sporen
NFI.nl, M. van der Molen
Article
Interview | May 2025
Privacy en digitale opsporing, een lastig parket
Open Magazine, OUNL, E. Hollman
Article
Interview | Feb 2025 SOLVE-IT
NFI ontwerpt internationale kennisbank over digitaal onderzoek
NFI.nl, M. van der Molen
Article
Interview | Dec 2024
Harm van Beek benoemd tot hoogleraar Digital Forensics
Security Management, vol 6, M. Jelgersma
Article
Interview | Aug 2024
Zoeken naar een digitale speld in een hooiberg
Computable.nl, T. Molenaar
Article
Interview | Aug 2024
In databrij bergen bewijs van criminele activiteiten
De Limburger, C. van Dyck
Article
Article | Sep 2023
Expressing Uncertainty Without Confusing the Fact Finders
Forensic Horizons, C. Miller
Article
Article | Jul 2023 Hansken
Forensic Institute provides Hansken viewing method for Dutch lawyers
Computer Weekly, K. Loohuis
Article
Article | Mar 2023 Hansken
Advocaten kunnen nu ook vanaf eigen werkplek berichten doorzoeken over zware misdrijven
Het Parool, W. Laumans & P. Vugts
Article
Article | Jul 2022 DFaaSHansken
DFaaS: Not a Silver Bullet, but a Crucial Tool
Police Chief Magazine, vol 89, nr 7, IACP
Article
Key NFI Expert Papers
NFI Information Paper | Dec 2024 Hansken
Verschoningsgerechtigde informatie verwerken met Hansken
link
NFI Information Paper | Mar 2023
Vernietigen van digitale sporen met verschoningsgerechtigde informatie
link
Awards & Recognition
2026
Best paper award - Digital Forensic Doctorate Symposium (DFDS) 2026
For the paper Connecting File Timestamps: A Formal Approach by L. Hornung, H. Jonker, H. van Beek.
DOI
2024 Hansken
European Public Sector Award (Digital Transformation)
For high-impact innovation in evidence processing.
2022 CASEHansken
Annual TNO ICT Impact Award
For high-impact knowledge sharing in cybercrime fighting via Hansken/CASE.
2018 Hansken
Ministry of Justice & Security Innovation Award
For a successful innovation to improve the processing of digital evidence from crime scene to court.
2000
Civi graduation prize for industry 2000
Master Thesis award by the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities.
2000
Excellent Student Program 2000
Excellent student award by Internet Society Nederland (ISOC).
Education
2000 - 2005
PhD (Formal Methods)
Eindhoven University of Technology. Faculty of Mathematics & Computer Science
DOI
1995 - 2000
MSc (Computer Science, with honors)
Eindhoven University of Technology. Faculty of Mathematics & Computer Science
Misc
Mathematics Genealogy Project
I spent some time finding out my academic ancestry via the Mathematics Genealogy Project. I am very surprised to have so many great scientists as academic ancestors. Not only Church, Lagrange, Laplace, Euler, Bernoulli and Leibniz, but even Christiaan Huygens, Desiderius Erasmus and Galileo Galilei! 🤯
My academic ancestry can be found here.
I spent some time finding out my academic ancestry via the Mathematics Genealogy Project. I am very surprised to have so many great scientists as academic ancestors. Not only Church, Lagrange, Laplace, Euler, Bernoulli and Leibniz, but even Christiaan Huygens, Desiderius Erasmus and Galileo Galilei! 🤯
My academic ancestry can be found here.