The cyber forensics (global) market has been predicted to rise at 15.95% CAGR between 2023 to 2028, reaching a whopping value of $20.29 billion by 2027.
Cybersecurity is a major concern for everyone in the contemporary digital age when there is a constant threat of data breaches and cyber attacks. Hackers are actively looking for vulnerabilities in computer systems and application networks, and exploiting them for their personal gains. A serious Data breach or hack incident can cost millions and even force companies to shut down their businesses in a year. Well, this is where cyber forensics experts come to the rescue. Cyber forensics is a crucial branch of the Cybersecurity ecosystem that primarily deals with the recovery and investigation of breached data and digital assets. Thus, a career in cyber forensics could be highly rewarding.
Cyber Forensic experts are in high demand today. Law enforcement and defence- esteemed government organisations like CBI, ED etc. are actively looking for computer forensics experts. These professionals are hired to investigate and mitigate cyber crimes. Certified Cyber Forensics professionals are also in demand in various other industries like BFSI, law etc. Leading MNCs and Fortune 500 companies are extending generous packages for Cyber Forensics experts, starting from 10.0 LPA INR to 25.0 LPA INR, and more.
Cyber Forensics majorly centres around obtaining digital data as evidence for a crime perpetrated online. Additionally, it focuses on following the correct investigative procedures necessary to detect and prosecute hackers or threat actors in court. In corporate settings, a cyber forensics investigator deals with analysing the network and locating the insider threats responsible for a security breach.
Computer forensics is a proliferating field, extending huge potential for career advancement. Both private firms and government bodies are looking for cyber forensics professionals to address cybercrime. The tremendous rise in cybersecurity incidents has pushed the demand for computer forensic technicians. Agencies are willing to pay competitive salaries and perks to hire the best talents.
The career in cyber forensics in India is rising steadily upward rise lately. Both government bodies such as Central Forensic Science Laboratories and private companies are hiring cyber forensics experts to monitor online fraud and reinforce data and information security. Many private forensic science laboratories are hiring these professionals for in-house and outsourcing services.
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With nearly 34% internet penetration across India and counting, close to 1.7 lakhs of cybercrime incidents are reported annually. To mitigate these incidents, private and government organisations are increasingly hiring cybercrime investigators.
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In India, professionals starting off as computer forensic investigators can earn close to INR 7 LPA. With time and experience, they can experience an exponential hike in their respective salaries reaching up to INR 24 - 28 LPA. (Source: AmbitionBox)
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Aspiring Cyber Forensics professionals would be able to apply for multiple job roles, such as
Cyber forensics is an extremely dynamic field. You need to regularly update your skillsets to transition or move up in cyber forensics. Here are a few fundamental and critical skills:
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The cybersecurity forensics domain requires both technical skills and analytical skills to analyse cybercrime and uncover computer forensic evidence based on facts. Cyber forensic experts should be updated on the upcoming technologies and tools- like Kali, Autopsy, Wireshark, PeStudio etc. to keep themselves abreast about advanced cyber crimes and how to combat them. Proficient analytical skills will come in handy to judge and analyse hard evidence or reconstruct cyber crime scenarios to speculate reasons behind the incident.
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A cyber forensic engineer should have a hands-on understanding of networking concepts. The investigator must be aware of the network, its internal operations, different ways of data transmission and breach, and various factors behind a cyber invasion. A thorough know-how of the core networking concepts will help them gather the data from the network servers and process them to find the evidence.
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For a digital investigator, communication skills are vital. They are often required to explain evidence and investigation procedures to the judge in a court in a simplified, non-technical manner. And this has to be done without any alterations in a clear, concise manner.
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For any investigator, attention to detail is a critical skill. During an ongoing investigation, they must think like threat actors to understand and analyse every little detail of how the attack was perpetrated.
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The cyber forensics domain is evolving by leaps and bounds. Hackers are upgrading their attacks, and the digital investigator has to be on his toes to stay one step ahead of them. Cyber Forensic professionals should stay updated with the latest technologies and trends to deal with advanced and complicated cybercrime incidents.
Cyber forensics career in India mostly focuses on using digital investigation skills for criminal justice systems. Additionally, organisations are hiring investigators to address cybercrime incidents and internal threat actors.
Since computer forensic careers require both technical and analytical skills, someone with a degree in computer sciences, computer applications, or information technology is recommended.
But anyone, irrespective of professional and academic background, can get started with cyber forensics.
The key to success in this domain is not the technical background- but rather the learner’s desire to learn and implement the technology to locate the breach. A digital investigator needs to pursue a diploma or certification in ethical hacking or information security to learn about various tools and techniques required for the job. However, dedicated
cyber forensics courses are more suitable for someone with an experience in cybersecurity fundamentals.
Here is a learning roadmap recommended for students aiming for cyber forensics. This roadmap has been separated into two parts - Non-IT Background and IT background for convenience.
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Cyber forensics is a dynamic field with numerous specialisations from networking to examining live Windows Registry. In this domain, it is always your interests that guide your path. But here is an overview to get started:
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For a career in cyber forensics from an IT background would ideally come with fundamental knowledge of networking and programming. Ideally, these candidates could start with the basic Cyber Forensics Course and then progress to the CHFI Certification Course.
A dedicated cyber forensics course ideally covers the fundamentals of cyber law and cyber forensic investigation. The curriculum also includes Data Recovery, Cyber Security, and Cyber Investigation.
The table below enlists the topics covered in this cybersecurity specialisation.
| Topics Covered | What does it cover? |
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| Fundamentals of Cyber Forensics | This topic covers the basics of computer forensics and computer ethics. The learners get to know about the basic terminologies in cyber forensics, storage and file systems, data recovery, etc. |
| Basic Concepts in Cyber Law | Since cyber forensics is primarily used for criminal cases, the learners must possess a basic understanding of Cyber Laws. In this topic, learners know more about laws pertaining to cyberspace and digital rights. |
| Data Recovery | The learners get to know about extracting and recovering Cache and Deleted Files, as well as preservation and handling of digital evidence. |
| Cyber Security | This topic focuses on security measures based on Hardware and Software. |
| Cyber Investigation | It focuses on e-Discovery, Gathering and Preserving Digital Evidence for investigation purposes. |
Here are some of the most relevant cyber forensic courses for students.
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The GCFA certification validates a candidate’s knowledge and skills to conduct official incident investigations. This certification primarily aims at developing core skills necessary to collect and analyse data from computer systems.
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The cyber forensics program by Dataspace Academy primarily focuses on building essential cyber forensics skills like mobile forensics and data recovery.
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This EC-Council accredited course aims at building necessary security disciplines of digital forensics from a vendor-neutral perspective.
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The C|EH course works as an introduction to Ethical Hacking. This course works as a stepping stone to learning penetration testing, one of the most crucial topics in the cyber forensics domain.
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The GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware (GREM) certification trains learners on how to reverse-engineer malicious codes. The certification aims at training the learner on how to examine malware and its operations with respect to cyber forensic investigations.
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CISSP-certified cyber forensic professionals help IT organisations prevent network security threats and vulnerabilities with dedicated threat management protocols.
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Launched by Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), the GCFE certification aims at examining and analysing digital media.
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The GNFA certification validates a candidate’s ability to run network forensic artefact analysis seamlessly.
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This certification primarily focuses on penetration testing along with white-hat hacking. It is a beginner-friendly certification offered by Offensive Security.
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This advanced-level certification primarily focuses on Windows Exploitation and trains on in-depth vulnerability assessment. This certification tests the learner's ability to find the problematic code and develop a functioning exploit under various modern Windows operating systems. This certification is highly valued for a career in cyber forensics.
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This is another advanced-level certification issued by Offensive Security. It tests the learner's penetration testing ability to run vulnerability exploits and execute attacks on compromised systems to gain administrative access.
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The CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ certification is suitable for both IT and non-technical professionals aiming to transition to cloud service. It is an internationally recognized, vendor-neutral certification that tests a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of cloud assessment.
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The GASF certification tests a candidate’s ability to run forensic examinations on mobile phones and tablets.
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This certification is accredited by the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists. It is a specialised certification that tests a series of core competencies in a candidate in the field of cyber forensics.
Computer forensics is an exponentially growing field, with higher opportunities for career development. The cyber forensics investigator can land a job in both government and mid- to large-sized corporations and private forensics laboratories.
Some potential computer forensics job titles might include:
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This job mostly entails examining and acquiring data from mobile phones or similar electronic devices for investigation purposes.
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This role primarily focuses on locating the root cause and impact of digital threats by recording and analysing network traffic and audit files.
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Among other things, these professionals work closely with the organisation's cybersecurity team for identifying and preventing malware threats.
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These professionals investigate cloud environments for security incidents and locate individuals or groups responsible for the issues.
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This job primarily focuses on protecting the shared network within an organisation and investigating the exact reasons and persons responsible for data breach incidents.
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This job entails the usage of technology to investigate, identify, and store evidence from an electronic device used at a crime scene.
Sayantan Mukherjee had this one dream from his childhood: To join law enforcement to beat the bad actors out.
He wanted to make a proactive contribution to combat crime and make the world a safer place.
Unfortunately, Sayantan could not appear for the IPS as he did not match the eyesight requirements. Disappointed, he started looking for other courses where he could build his career.
However, destiny had other plans in store for him. As Sayantan was proceeding with university applications, one of his cousins mentioned to him the Cyber Forensics Certification course offered by DataSpace Academy. Sayantan was afraid that his non-tech background might be an obstacle in entering the field of Cyber Forensics. However, he didn’t lose hope and one day he made a call to DataSpace Academy to understand the eligibility criteria. Much to his surprise and relief, they told him that people from non-tech backgrounds too can join the course- it’s just that they have to start from the fundamental or beginner courses of cyber security.
Sayantan immediately joined the Prerequisites of Cybersecurity course offered by DataSpace Academy. After completing the course, he completed the Cybersecurity Essentials Certification program before finally moving on to the Certification in Cyber Forensic course from DataSpace Academy. He has successfully completed the course and also participated in the internship program offered by the Academy.
DataSpace Academy also supported him with dedicated placement assistance. Today, Sayantan is living his dreams as one of the Cyber Forensic experts with the CBI.
Cyber forensics is a rewarding yet challenging domain. Some of the common challenges experienced by aspiring Cyber Forensics professionals are:
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Cyber forensics is a complex subject, requiring an in-depth understanding of both technical and soft skills for investigation purposes.
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Technology is rapidly evolving. Oftentimes, learners struggle to keep up with technological changes and find quick resolutions to the issues.
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Most often students do not get much hands-on experience with various tools used in real-world scenarios.
However, all these roadblocks could be addressed under the right guidance and mentorship.
Leading cybersecurity training institute DataSpace Academy is helping aspiring professionals overcome these roadblocks through its industry-recognised, beginner-friendly, and job-ready cyber forensic certification course. The award-winning institute offers extensive training that includes both classroom and hands-on training to build a career in cyber forensics. This program prepares aspiring professionals for real-life digital forensic investigation situations. DataSpace Academy also extends internship opportunities and dedicated placement assistance to help cyber forensic professionals stand out in the competition.
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