Digital Forensics Jobs

 

From fingerprints to firewalls, the application of science to criminal and civil laws has evolved to include the recovery and investigation of material found on digital devices. Known as Digital Forensics, this branch of forensic science focuses on identifying, acquiring, processing, analysing, and reporting on data related to cybercrime.

Amid an explosion in cyberattacks this century – from the techniques used to deploy them to the number executed and the damage caused – Digital Forensics has become a vital layer in the fight against this modern threat. Today, a range of vital jobs contribute to the process of identifying vulnerabilities, extracting data from electronic evidence, processing it into actionable intelligence and presenting the findings for prosecution.

Let’s put some of those jobs under the microscope and analyse their roles and responsibilities:

Digital Forensics Analyst

A Digital Forensics Analyst examines digital evidence and investigates computer security incidents to glean useful information in support of system/network vulnerability mitigation. 

Their responsibilities include:

• Deploy software to recover damaged, deleted, hidden, protected or encrypted files in a legally admissible manner
• Use a range of forensic tools and software to analyse recovered data
• Examine data from mobile phones and satellite navigation systems to trace people or places
• Produce technical reports based on findings and, if required, give evidence in court as an expert witness
• Provide law enforcement professionals with advice about how to evaluate digital evidence

Security Incident Response Analyst

A Security Incident Response Analyst develops and executes programmes and processes to mitigate information security risk and strengthen an organisation’s security posture. 

Their responsibilities include:

• Analyse the information security risk associated with existing and proposed programmes, systems, applications, practices, and procedures
• Manage programmes to establish, document and track compliance with industry and government standards and regulations, such as ISO-27001 and GDPR
• Respond to cyberattacks in line with the incident response strategy
• Collect, preserve, and analyse digital data associated with cybersecurity incidents using an advanced understanding of forensic techniques

IT Auditor

An IT Auditor plans, coordinates, and reports on IT audits of networks, applications, and corporate systems to identify potential security weaknesses and safeguard sensitive data. 

Their responsibilities include:

• Examine internal IT controls, evaluate their design and operational effectiveness, assess risk exposure, and develop remediation strategies
• Prepare internal audit reports that detail their observations – for use in criminal investigations if required
• Plan, implement, and monitor security measures to protect the organisation’s data, systems, and networks
• Test and identify network and system vulnerabilities and create mitigation strategies to protect the network

Cybersecurity Consultant

A Cybersecurity Consultant focuses on risk prevention, detection, and response. They proactively assess cyber threats by evaluating security issues, monitoring risk, and implementing solutions to prevent attacks on an organisation’s networks and computer systems. 

Their responsibilities include:

• Maximise efficiency in networks, data, software, and information systems to defend against potential cyberattacks
• Research on emerging cybersecurity threats and tools and techniques to manage them
• Test cybersecurity systems to identify areas that might be susceptible to attacks
• Produce technical reports and provide actionable preventative recommendations
• Conduct disaster recovery planning in the event of a security breach

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst assesses an organisation's current use of technology and identifies how it could be improved to meet its needs and scale as it grows.

Their responsibilities include:

• Work in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to establish project scope, technology goals, and requirements
• Examine and analyse existing IT systems and business models
• Identify IT solutions that meet the organisation’s requirements and assess them for both technical and business compatibility
• Implement best practices for scalability, support, maintenance, and system performance
• Develop training that teaches users how to use new hardware and software