The digital world is expanding at an alarming rate. And the need for digital forensics experts has never been greater.
“On any day in the last 5 years, there were on average 640,000 people online for the first time.” – Sourced from Our World In Data
This growth also means that the world of cybercrime is expanding. Every day there’s a new hacking technique being created.
The field of digital forensics has had to expand at the same rate because the criminal element is evolving and growing so quickly.
If you’re excited by the idea of investigating cybercrime, it’s not a job for the faint-hearted.
Cyanre the Digital Forensic Lab is at the forefront of the industry and knows first-hand what skills are needed to excel.
Here are our top skills we know you’ll need to succeed in if you become a digital forensics expert.
A Love For Tech
If you’re not in love with analyzing data and computer systems, then this isn’t the career path for you.
As the job title indicates, this is a technology-focused career. You’ll be expected to learn about multiple computer systems and platforms, mobile devices, and operating systems.
Attention to Details
As a digital forensic expert, you’ll need to be a detail orientated individual. You’ll be required to sift through large amounts of data, examining it, and trying to uncover hidden elements.
It is the cornerstone skill, as thoroughness and a keen eye for detail are a crucial part of the job.
Understanding of Law and Criminal Investigation
What makes digital forensics a niche specialist field is that you need to understand computer forensics as well as criminal investigation protocols.
And because this is taking place in the digital medium, you will need to have a good grasp of white-collar crimes and the processes associated with them.
Communication
With any field, communication is key to success. As a digital forensics expert, you will need to eloquently express complex ideas and concepts.
You will be required to articulate your findings effectively as this is key when presenting findings to an organisation or in a court of law. Breaking down technical information skillfully is a must as, in some cases, you need to convey these ideas to the general public.
Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Overlap
While these are two distinct professional fields, they do overlap. As a digital forensics expert, you will need to understand how cyber criminals operate.
This will help to level-up your abilities to effectively solve crimes. Also, understanding how cybersecurity professionals implement protective measures will assist you in your cases.
Systematic Thinker
This is more of a built-in personality trait, but being an analytical thinker is key to being a digital forensics specialist.
When processing data and evidence, you’ll need to stick to guidelines while:
- analyzing evidence,
- taking in the surrounding circumstances,
- picking-up on patterns,
- spotting any differences,
- understanding the data,
- and finally, solving the crime.
Following these procedures requires an individual that is an analytical thinker.
A Need To Learn
The digital landscape is one that completely reimagines itself fairly often. This requires digital forensic experts to constantly be learning new skills.
Keeping up with best practices and new industry trends is a must, and often can only be done via self-learning.
Sensitive Material
You will constantly be required to sift through difficult material. From CCTV to cellphone images, never before have we been able to capture so much footage.
With this abundance comes the psychological stress on those who review this material.
Make sure you’re an individual that can handle these stresses, or find a professional specialist to help you deal with it.
Conclusion
If this hasn’t put you off going into the digital forensics field, then we wish you all the best. And if you need a specialist now, feel free to book a consultation, here.