The area of computer data was something that was ignored or under used in court cases for far too long. This was even worse because most criminals are very, very sloppy about their data encryption – they make the game easier for the forensic guys.

This type of forensics use scientific methodology to protect, assess, and analyze computer data. Deleted data may be retrieved or recovered, encrypted or password protected data revealed. Damaged computer hardware can also be salvaged in the pursuit of information and answers by the computer forensics team themselves – there’s very little information you can safely hide from them. No matter how damaged the digital media is. Computer forensics consciously work within the rules of evidence set out by the criminal courts, thereby providing law enforcement with viable and admissible evidence within a court of law. Basically if they catch you with something they’ve done it legally and it will stand up in a court of law as evidence.

Computer forensics are playing a growing role in the US courts, and electronic forensics experts are called upon in a variety of types of criminal cases. Theft, embezzlement, and fraud may all have computer records and evidence that is assessed and analyzed by a forensics specialist – there’s very little done in business today that doesn’t involve computers at some level.

Even the use of cell phones isn’t safe from the forensic guys. Every text message you ever sent, every phone number you ever stored or even any images you ever kept on your cell phone are all items that these guys can undelete and use against you in a court of law. There have been several high profile murder cases examined in the last few years were cell phone forensic evidence played a key role in the prosecution of the criminals. That’s right – they were stupid enough to send each other text messages organizing the murder of another human being.

Specifically, computer-related crimes, such as hacking, child pornography, and intellectual property theft are also prosecuted with the aid of computer forensics. Furthermore, these forensic teams aid in the search and prosecution of terrorists who may use computer technology for planning, scheduling, and locating acts of terrorism. This has become especially important after 9/11.

Computer forensics enable prosecutors and police to gain admissible evidence against offenders, whether the offense is corporate embezzlement or child pornography. A good computer forensics specialist can not only preserve data, but also even reclaim deleted or damaged data and pass this information to the courts.

Are you worried about computer viruses and spyware infecting your computer? You can never take your computer security or internet security too seriously. One small infection is all it takes to cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your system and you data. Learn more about computer security issues here -> http://www.cpusecurity.com

Computer forensics is such a new field, that you will find almost no school that has had forensics in their curriculum for longer than 10 years. Most did not start offering these cyber crime certifications until 2003 or later and some companies came into being just for that purpose.

Most Universities and Trade Schools now offer some type of computer forensics program, though you will most likely have to take a score of unrelated classes in order to get the training you desire as part of a degree program and the cost will most likely be higher. For those of you who are specializing in computer forensics, an individual certification may be the answer.

* EnCE-The EnCase Certified Examiner Program is for those who have mastered their EnCase Guidance Software. The process is fairly simple and straight forward and one of the least expensive.
o You must first have attended 64 hours of authorized computer forensic training, either online or in the classroom-or-have 12 months of experience on the job.
o Then you complete the downloadable application and mail it to the certification coordinator at the address provided.
o Once the application has been received and approved, you will be issued a voucher with which to take the Phase I examination at a Prometric facility in your area. The voucher reduces the Phase I testing fee from $1000 to just $200, a significant savings. You can take the test without the voucher, but it will not be accepted until your application has been submitted and approved.

* Phase I is the written portion of the exam. You will have 2.5 hours to complete the test and the minimum passing score is 80%. If you fail, you must wait 2 months to take it again and you may be required to fill out another application prior to taking it, so get in contact with them first. Once you pass, you will automatically be shipped the Phase II test.
* Phase II is the practical exam. You will have 60 days in which to complete the Phase II exam and you may be granted a 30-day extension through the EnCE Coordinator, on a case-by-case basis. A minimum score of 85% is required and the same rules apply for Phase II as for Phase I if you fail.

EnCE Certifications are good for three years from the date obtained. Upon completion you will be issued an EnCE Certificate and a wallet card.

When he is not writing about computer forensics, Joseph enjoys landscaping and working in his flowerbeds. Because he cares about the environment he uses recycled rubber tree rings and paver stones to landscape his backyard.

Incoming search terms:

As stated, although you may have guessed the fields listed above, there are computer forensics fields that you may not have guessed either. Computer forensics is indeed not isolated to online crimes. Many instances involve the use of computer forensics to solve violent crimes such as homicides, rapes, kidnapping and even assault and stalking. Forensics examiners use computer, cell phones and other electronic device analysis containing evidence of crimes, suspects and their victims. So it comes as no doubt that with the increase in both computer-related and non-related crimes, the demand for computer forensics specialists in a number law enforcement capacities, as well as private consulting agencies, has skyrocketed, and is expected to continue.

What is Computer Forensics?

The definition of computer forensics is the gathering of digital evidence, pieces of information from computers and other personal electronic devices, including computers, laptops, cell phones, etc. This gathering of evidence many times involves searching for files, emails, calls or other correspondences, pictures or video, internet search history or many other types of data. This information may then be used as evidence for anything from locating suspects to providing evidence toward a criminal prosecution in a court of law.

What is Cyber Crime, Exactly?

Unfortunately, much of the work done today in the computer forensics labs of America’s law enforcement agencies is child pornography and exploitation. However, these agencies work harder each year, learning more about how to find the evidence needed to convict these criminals, as well as how to find additional suspects through new forensics methods.

Additional common crimes include identify theft and online fraud, especially with the rise of online commerce and companies such as eBay, Amazon and Overstock.com. Intellectual property theft is also a growing problem, however many foreign and developing countries struggle with this more than the US. unfortunately, as business becomes more international each year, American companies fall victim to intellectual property theft from countries such as China more and more. This then becomes an international matter, for federal agencies such as the CIA and the State Department.

What are some Career Options?

To put it quite simply, the most common areas to find computer forensics specialists are with local and state police, FBI, CIA and various consulting agencies. This brings about two main areas of practice: law enforcement and private forensic consulting agencies.

Law Enforcement

Although starting mostly with government and military cases, digital data began to be used for evidence more and more in the 1970s and 80s. Computer-related crimes have increased exponentially over the past decades, and law enforcement agencies have added forensics to just about every office in the nation. Most local and state police departments hire professionals ‘in house’ dedicated solely to computer forensic. The leader, however, is the FBI. The Computer Analysis and Response Team (C.A.R.T.) is tied to every law enforcement agency in the country, as they are the only one with jurisdiction between state lines. As computers and internet lines know no state boundaries, the FBI is in a leadership position to find and prosecute these criminals.

Private Consulting Agencies

Consulting agencies work mostly with corporations and business, however they work for individuals as well. Many of these investigations involve intellectual property theft, sexual harassment, corporate fraud and misuse of investor funds. These agencies can also be hired much like private investigators, to track anything from theft to embezzlement to adultery.

This is merely an overview of the types of investigations one would find with computer forensics careers. A degree in computer forensics or a closely related field such as computer science, information security or information technology is helpful, but not always necessary, depending on who your future employer is.

Incoming search terms:

Careers in digital forensics requires a broad set of skills to allow you to analyze computer data and security, including network technologies and traffic. Computer forensics degrees allow you to develop a wide range of knowledge in computer science, criminal justice and engineering, all of which is important for a future career in forensics. In particularly, you will develop skills to understand file formats, networking protocols, cryptology, software engineering and data analysis.

Computer forensic degrees are often available as associates or bachelors degrees, as well as through professional, specialist degree training. A number of well known universities such as California State offer degree programs focused on digital forensics. These degrees are structured to enable you to earn become a Certified Information System Security Professional, the highest level of certification for forensics professionals. In addition to in-person training, a number of schools offer online distance training in forensics, including ITT Technical Institute.

Courses within a computer forensics degree generally focus on the technology and legal aspects of the career, requiring the development of a broad base of knowledge. Students are required to gain expertise in the criminal justice and law enforcement system, as well as a core set of skills in both computer science with a focus on hardware and computer security.

At leading universities course offerings include Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation, Cyber Crime Analysis, Police Investigation Techniques, Essentials of Computer Security, Computer Forensic Analysis and Cryptology and Computer Security. Each of these courses builds upon a foundation in criminal justice and computer science. As one of the fastest growing professions, the requirements for computer forensics training require a working knowledge of a range of technology from networking equipment to wireless protocols.

Importantly, leading computer forensics schools will provide you with an opportunity to gain hands on work experience through internships and work study opportunities within the field. Both private companies as well as government agencies are actively recruiting computer forensics experts to aid in investigations, so demand remains high for new entrants into the field. By earning a well qualified computer forensics degree, you can put yourself in a good position to become a working professional upon graduation. Louis Zhang, Accrcomputerforensics dot com

Get more information about computer forensics degree including computer forensics online degrees and training at Accrcomputerforensics dot com.

Incoming search terms: