As digital crime increases aggressively, so do the prospects for computer forensic jobs. Computer forensic examiners have gained and achieved the popularity due to the notorious breaches that have occurred in recent years. Initially, it was known that computers were deployed to commit crimes, but now forensic science has become the norm for catching perpetrators who believe they cannot follow in their footsteps when they commit certain crimes.
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| Forensic Computer Science Career Guide |
How does computer forensics work?
Computer forensic investigations generally follow common digital forensic steps or methodologies, including the acquisition, investigation, preservation, analysis, and presentation of facts and information on digital evidence. Evidence collected in computer forensic investigations is generally exposed to the same practices and procedures as other digital evidence.
The goal of a computer forensic approach is to identify, preserve, analyze, and report information on computer systems that can be used as evidence in civil or court. The FBI, for example, uses IT professionals to gather critical evidence from investigations, and these crimes can be as simple as cyber theft, hacking, bank fraud, phishing attacks, ransom ware, or cyber espionage.
Every computer forensic investigation is unique. Some investigations can take several months to complete, while others can take a week to complete. It all depends on factors such as the experience of the IT professional, the amount of storage the investigator needs to classify, the number of computers being scanned, the presence of password files or encrypted files, and whether a malicious attacker tried to remove them. Hide information.
Is computer forensics a good job?
There is a great demand for specialized knowledge in computer forensics. With the increasing reliance on the Internet and computer technology, computer forensics has become an important part of business and law and a very profitable career path.
As digital forensics continues to mature, so will the processes and methodologies used to help organizations recover from cyber-attacks? Computer forensics work plays an important role in an organization’s approach to disaster recovery from cyber-attacks. If the forensic process is done carefully and properly after an attack, recovery can begin.
Computer forensics input into criminal investigations will increase in demand as the need for assistance in retrieving information that can be used as evidence becomes increasingly difficult for law enforcement agencies. Additionally, this growing field requires IT professionals or cyber security experts who are adept at this type of data recovery for corporate and law enforcement environments.
Having experience in this area is not just a major lawsuit, it is also about enhancing law enforcement efforts with IT expertise and skills to resolve court cases and make a real difference.
Forensic Computer Science Job Salary
According to Pay Scale, the average salary for a computer forensic analyst is $ 80,892. Similarly, Salary.com has suggested that the average salary for a beginning forensic computer analyst is $ 70,091.
This salary is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, education, employer, forensic job description, and job title.
What is the highest paid forensic profession?
It should always be remembered that the amount paid is based on subjective factors such as level of education, experience, certification, location, etc. Here are some of the highest paying forensic jobs (in no specific order):
1. Forensic engineer
If you want to earn a high salary in this field, you should consider becoming a forensic engineer. According to Pay scale, those who work as forensic engineers can expect to earn a median salary of $ 83,395.
2. Cyber security analyst
According to Pay scale, cyber security analysts with forensic skills have a median annual salary of $ 82,038. The starting salary for this position is estimated to be close to $ 65,000, but cyber security analysts with more than 10 years of experience can earn an average of $ 126,000 per year.
3. Forensic accountant
Forensic accountants and auditors are involved here, as many crimes involve money laundering and complex transactions to cover up illegal activities. According to Pay scale, the average salary for a forensic accountant is $ 68,115, which can go up to $ 116,000 depending on several factors.
4. Forensic computer analyst
If you want to work in the criminal justice department, you can become a forensic computer analyst. In this role, you apply the skills and knowledge you have acquired to deal with computer hard drives and storage devices to analyze user patterns, use other computer programs to retrieve information from damaged media devices, run analysis software applications and then detail them. Prepare a report. Etc.
According to Pay scale, the average forensic computer analyst earning a forensic skills salary is $ 80,851 per year.
5. Expert in information security
To fulfill this role, you will need a bachelor’s degree in a forensic science related course or you must become a certified forensic interviewer. According to Pay scale, the average annual salary for an information security professional with forensic skills is $ 140,192.
How to start a career in digital forensics
EC-Council CHFI Certification Program Information The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) certification program offered by EC-Council aims to verify a candidate’s ability to identify the steps of an intruder and accurately collect all the relevant evidence needed to prosecute a criminal in court. The certification program covers various types of computer forensics programs and provides basic skills for data recovery, including detecting hidden data present on the system and recovering deleted, lost, corrupted or encrypted data. It is also recommended that you have basic network defense skills or IT or cyber security experience before pursuing a career in digital forensics.