Understand the basics of digital forensics in five minutes. Did you know in 2021, organizations experienced 50% more cyber attacks per week than in 2020, according to Checkpoint Research. This alarming figure shows that no matter how strong your defense systems are, you are still at risk of cyber attacks in today's world. Organizations that are targets of cybercrime need cybersecurity experts to gather and analyze digital evidence to be used in a court of law. Failure to do so could result in attackers retaining unfettered access to an organization's network, causing further damage to the business and possible legal repercussions.
The practice of investigating, recording, and reporting cybercrimes to prevent future attacks is called digital forensics, also known as computer forensics. Computer forensics began more than 30 years ago. 30 years ago, when law enforcement and military investigators noticed that criminals were becoming more advanced.
The rise of financial crime using computers in the 1980s gave rise to the field of digital forensics that we know today. Due to the ubiquity of digital technology, cyber criminals have become adept at exploiting any cyber vulnerability. Equipped with the latest tools, digital forensic experts gather vital clues that can be used by law enforcement personnel to pursue and convict malicious actors.
They help solve crimes like computer-based human exploitation, cyberterrorism, cyberstalking, data breaches, and theft of personal information. In other words, digital forensics experts are the detectives of the digital age. Without digital forensics, the evidence of a breach may go unnoticed or become compromised, which could lead to future attacks on an organization.
To better understand digital forensics, let's look at its three distinct branches. One, computer forensics involves collecting and preserving data from computers, laptops, and storage devices to be presented as evidence in court. Two, network forensics is the process of monitoring and analyzing network traffic to gather evidence.
Three, mobile forensics refers to the practice of retrieving data from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. With the increasing incidence of cyber attacks, the demand for digital forensics experts will continue to grow. Analysts and expert market research predict that the digital forensics market will attain a value of USD 20.29 billion by 2027. There has never been a better time to enter this field.
Payscale reports that as of March 2022, the average base salary for a digital forensic investigator in the United States is USD 65,352. If you have impeccable technical and analytical skills, a great command of cybersecurity concepts, and a passion for criminal justice, that a career in digital forensics might be the right path for you. To build a successful digital forensics career, you will need a solid foundation of knowledge and practical skills.
EC Council's Computer Hacking and Forensics Investigator, CHFI certification, transforms aspiring analysts into industry-ready professionals. Get vendor-neutral training through the only lab-focused, ANSI-accredited program that covers the latest technologies, including Internet of Things, Dark Web, and cloud forensics, it's important to know how to conduct digital investigations using groundbreaking technologies. When hackers are smart, investigators need to be smarter. Become a digital forensic investigator today with EC Council's CHFI program.