How To Become A Computer Forensics Specialist
Analysing Data as a Computer Forensics Specialist
A computer forensics specialist or investigator is skilled at decoding encrypted computer files and analysing the data to help solve crimes. The internet is a major hub for criminal activity these days, making this relatively new career choice very lucrative and very high in demand.
The internet is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and in this day and age, many crimes being committed are being done online by hackers, and they can amount to a serious level of jeopardized intellectual property. Getting access to the accounts and systems of major corporations is a serious crime, and with every private individual as well as businesses operating 100% online, everyone is vulnerable to these attacks. A computer forensics specialist or investigator is skilled to prevent or solve computer crimes, which makes it a position that is becoming very high in demand and popularity.
Job Description
As a computer forensics specialist, your primary focus would be to help solve crimes by analysing computer data. These may be crimes against children, or crimes in which hacking took place and intellectual property was stolen. Identity theft, fraud and robbery are common crimes that these investigators have to look into. They will recover information from corrupt or encrypted files from any technological source, like a PDA, spreadsheet, laptop or computer and then analyse the findings and document them in detailed and technical reports. They will also be called in to testify in court on many cases as expert witnesses. A computer forensics specialist may even be recruited in a preventative role by major corporations who want to test the security of their software and systems. The specialist will then try to hack the system to find the holes a professional hacker could get through.
Training Needed
This is a relatively new area in criminal justice, and as such it doesn't have an established set of educational requirements yet. For many people, a high school diploma was enough to gain access to the field, but with a very competitive market, formal post-secondary education, such as a criminal justice degree is becoming crucial. In some cases, simply having a law enforcement background that gave you exposure to these types of crime is sufficient to make the transition, but there is an increasing number of associate's and bachelor's degrees available in areas like cyber crime, computer forensics or internet security that are useful and can be done online. A few schools that are recommended in this field are AIU online, Kaplan University and ITT Technical Institute. There are also many certifications available to get on an optional basis, but each certification means an increase in demand and potential salary. Certifications like CISSP, CISM, CISA, or CCSP will make you a valuable freelancer, but having a masters degree in cyber crimes can also be a deciding factor.
Career Outlook
Training to work in this field is a very smart idea, because since it is relatively new and since more and more crimes involve the internet these days, until 2018 there is an expected increase of at least 20%, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many workers will be employed by law enforcement agencies and can make a starting salary of about $50,000, but there are many freelance consulting firms you can work for that, with the right certifications, can bring in a salary of about $100,000. Being a computer forensics specialist is an up and coming career choice among careers in criminal justice, that if you prepare now, will bring you many benefits and opportunities in the future.
Criminal Justice Degree |
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