A CAREER AS A COMPUTER FORENSICS TECHNICIAN

? BY DAVID A. WARNICK

?Submitted to Dr. Cowlin in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Crim. 231

November 5, 2011

Computer Forensics Technician

The chosen branch in Criminal Justice is the Central Intelligence Agency as a Computer Forensics Engineer. The CIA fits career experience from time in the military, deep concern in keeping America strong and free. Working for the CIA will allow for continued protection Americas’ interest from foreign cyber-terrorist attacks. Why pick this career as a possible future path??Computer Forensics is relatively a new one, so it gives you an opportunity to contribute from the beginning. The field offers many unique and rewarding opportunities for growth in a new evolving career.

With any new career field, there are a few different titles associated with the Criminal Justice system.?The DOJ currently lists the title as IT Specialist (Forensic Examiner), and the CIA’s title is Computer Forensics Engineers.?The city of Fontana, California job posting is for “Police Computer Forensics Technician”.?These particular titles were chosen as appropriate for this research, as they relate to Criminal Justice and Homeland Security.

In the beginning computing was new and strange to the general public. The courts had considered the evidence to be the same as other kinds of evidence.?Then, computers became more popular, mobile, and court opinions had to shift.?“Courts have become more aware that computer electronic evidence can be easily corrupted, destroyed or changed by anyone involved before or during the investigation process.” (Krotoski, 2011)

Computer forensics is an extremely diverse field, evolving into something new each and every few months. The ultimate objective of computer forensics technician is to acquire data that has not been altered “so that it can be used as evidence in a court of law. Forensics is the process of using scientific knowledge for collecting, analyzing, and presenting evidence to the courts.?(The word forensics means “to bring to the court.”) Forensics deals primarily with the recovery and analysis of latent evidence.?Latent evidence can take many forms, from fingerprints left on a window to DNA evidence recovered from blood stains to the files on a hard drive”. (US-CERT, 2008)

Think your cutout to be a Forensics Computer Technician??Let’s look at what a typical work day might be.?Technicians assist in the investigation of crimes, by gathering and scrutinizing available physical evidence. “Technicians acquire and scrutinize the computers and electronic records for evidence associated with a case.?For example, by recovering deleted files from a victim’s computer or by probing a company’s records for evidence of fraud.” (BLS, 2010)?“They analyze configuration files, system files, and registry information from operating systems, user generated documents”, (NYS, 2012) “network routing and content information, recover and evaluate files for their evidence value. They also employ an assortment of assessment tools and operating systems to scrutinize and/or process the contents of computer electronic media.?Additionally, they are required to research evolving computer and/or data security tools and applications”, (BLS, 2010) and evaluate how they can be employed in day-to-day operations.

Digital forensics is still a new legal discipline. The standards are changing daily in the field.?“Law Enforcement has come to realized that there is a requirement to develop dedicated tools and processes to analyze computers for evidence without corrupting the information.?Detectives are now partnering with computer technicians regularly to discuss the appropriate procedures and tools they would use to recover evidence from a computer or other electronic device.” (King, 2006) Bit by bit, they continue to develop procedures and programs that will make up the career field of computer forensics.

Technicians also have to prepare extensive written reports detailing their conclusions and analytical processes utilized.?They have to be able to give details with reference to their findings to lawyers, detectives, other law enforcement personnel and occasionally juries in clear understandable language.

“Technicians specialize in either crime scene investigation or laboratory analysis. They may work long hours under distressing conditions. Evidence is both physical and logical, in that it may consist of hardware components and digital media which contain data or just data alone”. (King, 2006) “The physical side of computer forensics encompasses what is called search and seizure of computer evidence. This is where an investigator travels to the scene of a computer crime searches for and takes into safekeeping computer hardware and media that are involved in the crime. This is called Crime Scene Investigation, similar to the popular primetime television shows. The field CSI path will require you to be able to lift various items of varying weight into the CSI van. Technicians also need to be able to sit, stand, walk, reach, twist, turn, kneel, bend, and stoop in daily work undertakings. Technicians may also be grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in preparing reports using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near, far, and color vision in viewing crime scenes and evidence.” (American Bar, 2003)

In comparison, “the logical side of computer forensics deals with the extraction of raw data from any relevant information resource. This is referred to as an information discovery and normally involves an investigator combing through log files, searching the Internet, retrieving data from a database, etc. The analysis phase consists of recovery and interpretation of the information that has been collected and authenticated. Pinpoint a file's location on the disk, its creator, the date it was created, the date of last access, the date it was deleted, as well as file formatting, and notes embedded or hidden in a document. Experts in computer forensics can reconstruct computer usage based on forensic analysis of data and systems". (American Bar, 2003) These functions are performed in a clean climate-controlled lab type environment.

The majority of the job positions post, required as a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The preferred majors are “Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Forensics, Computer Science,” (NYS, 2012) Mathematics or related field.?Researching job openings produced a few positions requiring just an Associate’s degree, although this is becoming unique. The primary certification for forensic computer technician is the Certified Computer Examiner certification. “Preference is also given to candidates who have completed or received verifiable training with computer forensic tools such as EnCase, Access Data FTK and ASR SMART. “(Caloyannides, 2004) Work experience in forensics field of six or more years may be substituted for college.

Honoring God in every aspect of my life is most important. This passage from scripture is a guiding post for us all. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV).?This represents a powerful statement of my faith and remains the central element of success in life. Endeavor every day to stick to this moral standard.?Our faithful journey continues to take us to the next level, although not always where we think we should be. Work in this field contributes to the growth of one’s mind, as you must be an analytical thinker.?Continuous learning is essential in this field, every day you must research new technical developments. The faith journey continues to blossom, “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." (Ephesians 4:18 NIV) The day you stop learning, is the day the darkness takes hold.

“The median annual wage of forensic computer technicians was $51,570 in May 2010”. (BLS, 2110) The calculated median pay for a position with the CIA is $74,000, “with five years in the area of Computer Security, Computer Forensics, Computer Investigations or a related technical field”. (CIA, 2012)?I found that you can make $45,000 at entry level, and as high as $150,000 or more at the higher end of the pay spectrum.

“Employment of forensic computer technicians is projected to grow by 19 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Technological advances and the growing awareness of forensic evidence among potential jurors are expected to increase the use of forensic evidence in criminal proceedings. More forensic computer technicians will be needed to provide timely forensics information to law enforcement agencies and courts”. (BLS)

“Competition for jobs should be stiff because of the substantial interest in forensic science and crime scene investigation spurred by its portrayal in popular media. Applicants with experience or a bachelor’s degree in forensic science or a related field should have the best opportunities. Year to year, the number of job openings available will vary based on federal, state, and local law enforcement budgets”. (BLS, 2010)

?Reference?

American Bar, Record Retention and Destruction Current Best Practices, August 8, (2003), website, https://apps.americanbar.org/buslaw/newsletter/0019/materials/recordretention.pdf

?Caloyannides, (2004) Computer Forensics & Privacy (2nd ed.) Artech House Computer Security Series

Central Intelligence Agency, Computer Forensics ... (n.d.). (2012) Retrieved from https://www.manufacturingcrossing.com/lcarchivejobdetail.php?akey=ca47f1f60addd95a2612fd6d6be84921-96948540

?City of Fontana Position Description (2009) Police Computer Forensics Technician, website https://www.fontana.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/190

?Computer forensics10 updated - US-CERT - United States ... (2008) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/forensics.pdf

Forensic Science Technicians: Occupational Outlook Handbook ... (2010) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm

?King, (2006), Forensic Plan Guide, Forensic Investigation Plan Cookbook (SANS Institute)

?Krotoski, (2011) Effectively Using Electronic Evidence Before and at Trial, The United States Attorneys’ Bulletin, November 2011, Volume 59, Number 6

?NYS Position: State Police Computer Forensic Analyst 2. (n.d.)(2012). Retrieved from https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/titleinfo.cfm?jobcode=9213200