Computer Forensics? 2

[kidvegas19]

I am having a time trying to find any useful information on the subject of computer forensics as a career. I have found a couple of schools back east that offered CF as a program.

What I can't find out is what the job market for the specialty is like. I also can find no information on what it really takes to perform the job.

Anybody have any good links on the subject?

TIA,

KV

 

[bluedragon2]

I do remember reading a very good article on computer forensics in my SC Magazine last year. Their web site is

http://www.scmagazine.com/

You may be able to do a search on their web site for that article.



[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[bluedragon2]

Actually it is the August 2002 edition (boy how time flies) and it is viewable at their site. They also list additional resources.



[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[rphips]

Thanks blue you pointed me in the right direction

bob

 

[kidvegas19]

Thanks Blue. Appreciate it.

 

[dogbert2]

I am taking courses in Computer and Internet Forensics at my local community college (

http://www.ccsn.nevada.edu)

and the courses are interesting to say the least. The professor who teaches these classes makes students work their rear ends off to uncover items on computer hard drives, covers the material well in lectures, and you have to keep up with the reading (usually a chapter a week).

That being said, the field is interesting, as it is new, and as such not many people know about forensics (I do some of this at my job, but in the form of security and hardening of servers, routers, switches, firewalls, etc).

These days, companies cannot afford to leave their resources unguarded, because if this happens, it will wind up in that company being hacked, DDoS'd, or other nasty things.

I would tell you that in order to get good in this field, will take a few years of training, and hard work on your part.

 

[Cido1]

I took a course in computer forensics from a company called Canaudit, the instructors are incredibly talented. There website is

http://www.canaudit.com

 

[kidvegas19]

Anybody finding any information on the job demand/predictions for this field.

I am sort of concerned because I can find all sorts of courses/seminars/boot camps/training on the subject all claiming it is a much needed service.

However, can't find any job stats. If I could find a job opening, I would look for what else would normally being a requirement for the job, i.e. BS in CS etc.

Sort of reminds me of the IT overall. All sorts of adverts on TV and paper for schools telling laid off workers they should train in the 'hot' field of IT. Got 3 or 4 of those schools here and a community college spitting out 40 network engineers a quarter for the 1 job that happens to come available.

Forensics sounds and looks different and would be hard to outsource overseas, but what is the true demand?

Thanks!

P.S. I'm jealous of Dogbert2. My CC instructor in my forensics-like class thought it would be much more interesting to regale us with tales of when he taught elementary school. The little we got out of the class was because a group of us got together and worked through it on our own as best we could. That's the chance you take with a CC I guess, LOL!

 

[flatwater]

To me computer forensics, is a great new buzz word that certain entities can latch onto in order to create revenue.

Yes, there is a need for it, however, at the same time it is going to be a skill that is being used by large corporations and the government. Along with those few who will employ these specialists is the fact that they will only need a few dedicated to the task.

I worked at a Fortune 400 company and there wasn’t a computer forensic specialist on staff, or even on the radar that I knew of.

Most businesses in the USA are small- and medium-size companies who cannot afford payroll for such specific abilities and will not employ these people. If you are a distributor and have revenue of $100 million/year with a 4% margin, then your before-tax and operating expenses is $4 million/year. Next subtract your truck fleet costs of 10 tractors at a used cost of $25,000 that will be depreciated out over 5 years (5,000 x 10 = $50,000), and 20 trailers at $5,000 ($20,000/year), subtract fuel costs, federal taxes of about $500,000, the warehouse cost is probably $2 million (easily), equipment (forklifts, battery chargers, pallet jacks, etc.), driver costs (figure $10/hr. and 20 drivers) of about $400,000/year; you get the idea – there is no room for a computer forensic expert. If one wants to do that as part of their ongoing duties as the network admin at the company they work for, then that would be provided at no extra compensation.

By the way, I worked as a system/network admin/tech spec/operations for almost 5 years at a distributor.

 

[theoxyde]

I have a computer forensics / information assurance student that will be interning in my office starting next month, and from what she has described, it looks to be just the more arcane aspects of information security. I'm not going to knock it until I see more of what it is about. Like every facet of an emerging industry/practice, there will be a maturing process for it.

 

[dogbert2]

That is the real problem with some programs is that you don't know the quality of the people coming out of it. In the Intro to Computer Forensics class I had, we averaged roughly a chapter a week worth of reading, had a guest speaker, 5 assignments, a mid-term and a final exam. We used the book "Computer Forensics: Incident Response Essentials" by Kruse (ISBN is 0-201-70719-5) if you want to look at it in the local bookstore.

Hope this helps...

 

[chiph]

If you're in the US, have you tried talking to one of the local FBI or Treasury Department offices? They might have some suggestions.

Chip H.


If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first

 

[scicop]

Computer Forensics is still a new field, especially in Nevada. At the current time, The Nevada State Private Investigations Board has stated that the computer forensics field (not data recovery, but the evidence gathering side) does require a PI license if you work for yourself or as a consultant (no license required if you work for a law form, accounting firm, or have a bonafied employee/employer relationship).


Expect to see the field grow as more companies use the skills of a computer forensics expert to review data of suspect employees, in the field of litigation, and the like. Also in the criminal realm either to protect a company or in defense work.

SciCop