Sherfox Labs: Unapologetically Ours!!

Welcome to Sherfox ….

When I arrived in Southampton, I made myself a promise. Out of the years that had felt heavy, I wanted to build something that felt open, kind and alive. A space where people could breathe again and bring their full selves to the work without fear or pretence.

That promise became Sherfox Labs. We are now a community of more than twenty people from across digital forensics, policing, engineering, education, law and mental health. Each person adds something unique, and together we’ve built a place that values trust, laughter and the courage to ask difficult questions.

I’m proud of what Sherfox has become. It already reaches far beyond what I imagined when it began. This blog will share our story, what we stand for, what we’re building next, and how others can be part of it.

Pro Veritate et Corde – For Truth and Heart

The Sherfox Story

Sherfox began in 2022 with a name, a notebook and a quiet decision that this time I would do it properly. In the past, no matter how well our students or partners spoke of the work, inside the organisation it was never enough and never right. I wanted to build somewhere those things weren’t true.

The name came from a slightly odd combination of thoughts. I was rereading the Sherlock Holmes stories and wondering, if Disney were going to tell this one, what animal would play Sherlock Holmes? They’ve already had some great detectives, but I couldn’t help picturing a Robin Hood-style fox in a cape, solving crimes with a grin. It’s probably because I’ve always had a soft spot for that version of Robin Hood, but it just clicked. “Sherfox” felt right: part detective, part survivor, completely us.

At the start there were only a few of us, gathered from different corners of Southampton ECS and beyond. Early-career technicians eager to learn real forensic practice, researchers drawn to the technical challenge, and seasoned practitioners who understood the value of humour in hard work. Bit by bit we built a team that reflected the world we serve.

The first time I realised Sherfox had become more than an idea was when people outside started talking about us. Projects arrived, partners wanted in, students asked how to join. Suddenly the fox was running.

Now the Sherfox community brings together people across operational forensics, research, education and CPD. We have dedicated lab spaces, access to wider ECS facilities and a growing list of funded projects and successful investigations. We’ve helped shape teaching, supported mental-health initiatives and linked people who might never have met without Sherfox as their shared symbol.

It’s still early days, but the momentum is real and the spirit unmistakable, a group of people who care about evidence, about one another and about doing what’s right even when it takes more effort. That’s Sherfox!!!!!

What Makes Us Different

Every lab claims to be unique, but Sherfox actually is. We learned the hard way that being good isn’t always enough if you’re surrounded by people who only value sameness. So we built a place that does things properly and treats people properly too.

Our Line in the Sand

• We do not tolerate bullying!
  • Not from above, not from peers, not from anyone who wants to be part of us. Strength isn’t cruelty, and status doesn’t excuse it!
• We don’t confuse conformity with professionalism.
  • Being “right” isn’t about blending in; it’s about behaving with respect and integrity.
• We tell the truth even when it would be easier to stay quiet.
  • Integrity is our habit, not our slogan. No matter how much pressure there is to conform or make things easier, we follow the path that the evidence shows to be right. When new evidence appears, we adapt, but we don’t twist the truth to fit convenience.

How We Work

• We make space for people to be people.
  • Strong opinions, quiet energy, sensory quirks, odd humour, it all belongs here.
• We listen before we judge.
  • Curiosity comes first.
• We recognise success in every shape it takes.
  • If someone’s thriving, we don’t ask them to fit our style; we learn from theirs.
• We see neurodiversity as a superpower, not a statement.
  • Different ways of thinking make us stronger.
• We protect mental health as fiercely as we protect evidence.
  • Both matter, both deserve care.

The Sherfox Way

• We celebrate the wins … every single one.
  • Big, small, unexpected, ridiculous. A solved problem, a calm week, a cup of tea that didn’t go cold. If it lifts the team, it’s worth celebrating.
• We remember what injustice feels like.
  • It keeps us kind, grounded, and unwilling to look away when something’s wrong.
• We know kindness, individuality, and competence can share a workspace.
  • You don’t have to choose one.

The People …. Many Worlds, One Foxden

Foxes don’t work alone, and neither do we.

Sherfox is proudly multidisciplinary. Our world brings together computer scientists, electronic engineers, practitioners, students, lawyers, police, and specialists from mental-health and research backgrounds. Some move between disciplines with ease, others bring deep knowledge from one field, and all of them add something that makes the lab stronger.

It doesn’t matter where someone starts; what matters is that spark of curiosity and the courage to care about doing things properly. We’ve had people join who said they weren’t sure what they could contribute, but it never takes long to see how their skills and perspective give real value to the Sherfox community.

This isn’t a straight computing lab, and that’s deliberate. The blend of technical skill, operational experience and investigative instinct is what lets us build the kind of forensic science the world actually needs. It’s messy, creative, sometimes noisy and always collaborative – exactly the way real discovery should be.

Everyone who joins Sherfox helps move it forward, even if their path later takes them somewhere else. Once a fox, always part of the den!!

We also hold space for those who are no longer with us. Some former colleagues and friends shared our vision, supported us before Sherfox even existed, and would have been fierce members had life given them the time. They’ll always be part of this community, and we continue to honour them and keep their families involved in our milestones. Their support helped shape the lab we are today… their spirit stays with us in everything we do.

The Work … Fiercely Operational, Unashamedly Cheesy

Sherfox is serious about what we do, but we’re not going to let it pull us into a dark place if we can help it. Digital forensics can be heavy work… so our rule is simple – when it gets tough, we bring the light.

We really do cover the full spectrum:

• Operational Work
  • Supporting criminal and civil investigations, intelligence reviews and advisory roles around the world. We handle live cases, major trials and quiet behind-the-scenes problem-solving alike.
• Education and CPD
  • Teaching across degrees and short courses, supervising projects, and helping students learn to think like investigators.
• Research
  • Everything we research comes from real operational need. Every question starts in the field and ends with something that works.
• Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise
  • Consultancy and collaborations with industry, government and law enforcement… work that takes our ideas beyond the lab.
• Public Engagement and Outreach
  • From school visits and big events to our IoT Crime-Scene Dollhouse, which turns digital evidence into a miniature adventure for all ages.

It’s a wide reach, but the spirit stays the same. We brief senior leaders and build robots, we support work in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) space, we talk to journalists, we chase the magnificent Ig Nobel… and we keep it human through every bit of it.

That balance matters …. The seriousness keeps us credible, the humour keeps us whole, and together they make Sherfox exactly what it’s meant to be …. a lab that faces the world’s hardest problems with skill, heart and a little bit of sparkle.

Cyberly ….

Every good lab needs a fictional city … ours is called Cyberly! … It started as a creative way to explain complex ideas, and somewhere along the line it turned into a living, breathing universe. Cyberly is home to the BYTE Detective Agency, Villainous Ventures Inc., and a host of gloriously over-the-top characters who somehow make digital investigations and digital exploitation make sense.

You’ll find it everywhere in Sherfox … in our teaching, in our CPD courses, in our research projects and even dotted around the lab walls. Every member of Sherfox has a Cyberly alter ego, which makes it much easier to explore wild ideas and far harder to take ourselves too seriously.

Behind the cheese is real purpose. Cyberly gives us a consistent, shared world that connects everything we do. It saves time when developing case studies and teaching materials, adds humour to the serious parts, and lets us explore digital forensics in a space that’s safe, creative and endlessly flexible. It’s fun, it’s useful, and it’s completely entangled with who we are.

It always makes me smile when we’re deep in discussion about a crime scene or a new scenario, and the whole team jumps in as if the Cyberly world is real. Someone will bring up the latest twist in the Fluffy-Clippy romance, or what Professor Marmalade’s plotting now, or the growing might of Jeff the Sock Puppet’s glitter empire. That shared investment in something so joyfully daft is one of the things I love most about the Sherfox community.

That imagination… that willingness to think differently… is what keeps Sherfox moving. It sparks new ideas, new approaches and new solutions that shape our research, strengthen our operational work and inspire everything we do.

Our Ethos in Action

At Sherfox, integrity isn’t only about data or evidence… it’s about people.

This past year has reminded me how powerful that is. It’s been a full-on time – a hugely public court case in my role as a digital forensics expert, a few personal stresses, and then a serious accident that forced me to stop for a while. Through it all, the Sherfox community has been extraordinary. There has been no pressure, no guilt, no sense that recovery had to be rushed. Everyone simply stepped in with kindness, humour and practical help, taking things off my shoulders rather than adding to them.

That’s what our ethos looks like in practice. We share openly so that no one feels alone. We support one another through the difficult moments and celebrate the good ones together. Each person is different, and those differences are what make the den strong. Everyone is valued for what they bring, not expected to fit a single mould.

We’re also fiercely protective of that culture. We know what we stand for, and we won’t compromise it to appease those who think empathy weakens professionalism. We have more than enough meaningful work to do without spending energy on people who can’t respect the values that hold us together.

Sherfox is, and will remain, a community built on trust, humour and care. That balance is how we stay grounded, how we keep one another safe, and how we make space for real justice and genuine joy to coexist.

Collaboration … How You Can Work With Us

One of the best things about Sherfox is that there isn’t just one way to get involved. Whether you want to work with us, join us, or support us, there’s space for you in the den.

We collaborate with people who share our values… those who care about truth, curiosity, ethics, and making the world a little fairer. We have enough to do without spending energy on relationships that don’t fit that ethos, so we keep our partnerships positive, professional and principled!!!

Here are some of the most common ways to collaborate with us:

Work with Sherfox

• Support or co-develop a research grant with us.
• Fund or co-fund a PhD student.
• Commission consultancy or operational support for your organisation.
• Take one of our CPD courses or invite us to deliver bespoke training.
• Invite us to advise, brief or contribute to your policy, industry or law-enforcement projects.
• Work with us on media, outreach or educational features about digital forensics.

Join Sherfox

• Supervise or co-supervise a student project.
• Provide placements, internships or mentoring opportunities.
• Guest lecture or speak on one of our modules.
• Contribute expertise to collaborative research or casework.

Support Sherfox

• Sponsor a student or co-fund equipment.
• Sponsor research or educational activity
• Donate kit or software to help us expand our practical teaching and research.
• Invite us to your event or help amplify our work through your network.
• Introduce us to people / share our work!

These are just some of the ways to get involved… and if you’ve got a new idea, we’re happy to hear it. Collaboration is, after all, what keeps the foxes moving!

If you’d like to talk about working with us, you can get in touch through the Sherfox Labs website.

The Invitation … Be Curious! Be Kind! Be Sherfox!

Sherfox has never just been a lab. It’s a living, breathing community of people who believe that curiosity, kindness and courage belong at the heart of digital forensics.

While this post has focused on my story, the truth is that Sherfox is far bigger than me. I might technically lead it, but it runs on the energy, ideas and laughter of the people who make it what it is. Some can’t take the spotlight for operational reasons, so it feels right to say this here… thank you. Every single person who builds, teaches, reviews, codes, researches, investigates, tests, mentors, or just makes someone else smile …. you are Sherfox.

To everyone who supports us, works with us, funds us, challenges us, cheers us on, or simply believes in what we stand for …. you’re part of the story too.

Sherfox is its own beast now… clever, bright-eyed, slightly chaotic, full of heart, and absolutely determined to make things better. The door to the den is open. Come join us, bring your ideas, and see what happens when integrity meets imagination.

Pro Veritate et Corde – For Truth and Heart

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