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Responsibilities Of A Computer Forensic Expert

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By Frances Adams


Computer forensics is a branch of digital forensic science that is concerned with evidence found in computers and other digital storage media. This field is also referred to using the term computer forensic science. The goal of this field of study is examining digital media forensically with the intention to identify, preserve, recover, analyze, and present opinions and facts concerning digital information therein. The professional who does this job is called a computer forensic expert.

Digital forensic science is a new field with a relatively short history. Its creation and development was made necessary by the increase in the number of people who owned personal computers in the 1980s. People used personal computers as tools for committing computer-related crimes. A steady increase in the crimes led to the birth of the term cyber crime, which is now a global issue affecting companies in all industries.

It became necessary to have people trained in techniques of recovering and investigating digital evidence to use in courts when computer-aided crimes rose. The application of the field has now expanded and is used to investigate rape, espionage, child pornography, cyberstalking, and fraud among other crimes. It also became a method of information gathering in legal proceedings.

Digital forensic is based on a wide scope. The scope goes beyond retrieving data to reconstructing events. How the field is applied in legal proceedings is governed by strict laws. The rigidity and strictness of the rules are very different from how the same field is applied in civilian domain. Numerous high-profile cases have been solved based on evidence gathered from this field. Acceptance in court, especially in Europe and the US is increasing.

Forensic science professionals are charged with many responsibilities. The responsibilities are wide and diverse. Examples of common responsibilities include investigating data breaches and security incidents, recovering and examining data from computing gadgets, and dismantling and rebuilding damaged computing systems. Responsibilities are not confined to working with devices and data only. There is a lot of compilation of evidence for use in court, writing of technical reports, and giving advice on how credible retrieved data is.

These experts also give expert testimonies in court proceedings and train law enforcement officers concerning procedures employed in digital evidence. To remain relevant in the field, these professionals have to keep abreast with emerging technologies, methodologies, and software. This implies that they have to do a lot of reading and research to know what technologies are emerging in the market and which ones are being retired.

Having reverse engineering skills is vital in this field. One must be able to think like a criminal backwards. There are many employers for professional of forensic science. Some of them include law enforcement, private consulting firms, legal firms, federal, state, and local governments, and large corporations.

Excellent writing and oral skills are necessary to be able to survive in this job. These skills are needed because evidence gathered must be communicated to various stakeholders. Apart from being a good communicator, insight and curiosity are other essential skills to possess.




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