You’ve probably heard about more than one instance in which a suspected criminal is busted in part because of the materials he had stored on his computer. Whether it’s a MySpace page that includes troubling posts or an internet history filled with suspicious search terms, there are many ways a computer can be used to track and provide evidence. Computer forensic specialists are the law enforcement officials responsible for unearthing this kind of data.
Computer Forensic Specialist Job Description
A computer forensic specialist is basically a detective: his or her primary objective is to collect and analyze evidence that can be used to solve a crime. The main difference between a computer forensic specialist and a traditional detective lies in the source of evidence--a computer forensic specialist searches a computer, cell phone, electronic planner or other digital device.
Computer forensic specialists don’t just scan available files on a computer, they must know how to recover data that has been lost or deleted. This data might include anything from deleted emails to erased passwords and encrypted files. A computer forensic specialist may also need to check if a computer system has been tampered with or experienced any other security breach. Once this evidence is gathered, he or she must then be able to translate technical computer information into plain terms, which can be easily understood by lawyers and juries.
Computer Forensic Specialist Requirements
Formal education and training requirements for computer forensics specialists vary. In most cases, a college degree and prior investigative experience is necessary. Due to a growing demand for computer forensic specialists, an increasing number of colleges and universities are offering special programs in computer forensics. Some schools even offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in this field. Though there are no official licensing requirements for computer forensic specialists, some employers may require them to hold a private investigator license.
Computer Forensic Specialist Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, qualified computer forensic investigators should have favorable job prospects in the future. Currently, the BLS reports that the median salary range for private detectives and investigators, a category in which computer forensic investigators are included, is about $42,110 per year.
Computer Forensic Specialist Trends
Given the ever-increasing presence of Internet and computer technologies, it should come as no surprise that job prospects are expected to increase for computer forensic specialists in the future. One important note, though, about this profession is that specialists in this field must be prepared to train continuously in order to keep up with advancing technologies and hacking techniques.
Useful Computer Forensic Specialist Resource Links
- 5 Things Every Criminal Justice Major Should Know About Digital Forensics
- High Technology Crime Investigation Association
- International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists
- International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners
- American Society of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery
- American Board of Information Security and Computer Forensics
