INsig2
A company specialized for integrated security solutions and digital forensics solutions and services
We are aware that we live in a world of rapid technological advancement and increased digital transformation. Criminal activities are not absent in this area either. Every day, a multitude of different cyber and other criminal activities involving digital evidence emerge, posing major challenges to both the public and private sectors around the world. In the past, the most successful thefts were those without a single shot being fired, and today they are successful even without sending an email. Criminals are switching from the physical world to the digital one, with the increased use of encrypted communication, hiding traces techniques, cryptocurrencies and various other methods that present an increasing challenge to forensic experts. And because of the above mentioned, there is an increasing need for forensic experts.
Digital forensics is a forensic science that involves finding and investigating evidence stored in digital devices and is a key factor in the fight against criminals.
Digital forensics is the youngest branch of forensics, and the increasement of crimes in the digital world has created a need for people who work as digital forensics, that is, experts who will search for digital evidence and thus confirm or deny the allegations. IT technology is constantly developing, and this development represents an obstacle for forensic experts, because although forensic experts have a plethora of knowledge and technology necessary to perform forensic investigations, they must constantly monitor and understand new developments in the IT world.
The IT world in general is a very ungrateful industry when it comes to lifelong and continuous education.
The IT world in general is a very ungrateful industry when it comes to lifelong and continuous education. Let's take CD technology for example - in the 90s it was considered the technology of the future, only to be almost completely phased out in the late 2000s. All the knowledge gained about that technology loses value year by year. With digital forensics, due to the high stakes, the situation is even more extreme, and it is of utmost importance that continuous education is carried out. Criminals are trying to find new ways to go unnoticed every day, and digital forensic experts must keep up with their methods, no one wants to be guarded with a bow and arrow in a gun attack.
Fortunately, digital forensics experts are not alone in their fight against crime, many private companies are developing solutions to find evidence of digital crime. By following global trends, they share techniques and educate forensic experts to make their daily work easier and more efficient.
Advances in technology are not the only reasons why continuous education is important - laws and regulations related to digital evidence and cybercrime change over time. Digital forensic professionals need to be informed of these changes to ensure their practice remains legally valid. In addition, departments are used to manage documents and write by following standard operating procedures. When a new person comes, they are taught to follow the same procedures and, in this way, the procedures can stagnate for years. By educating just one person within the department can drastically improve the work and expand the horizons of the entire departmentOne of the reasons why education can be very useful is to meet colleagues and share experience. In the IT world, when you get stuck, there is always an Internet search engine and the famous saying: "Google it, someone in the world must have already encountered the same problem." Situation with digital forensics is different.
Education and conferences are the best place to share and gain new experiences with colleagues who are always ready to help with both current and future cases.
Handling digital evidence without proper education and training can lead to serious consequences, both in terms of legal admissibility and accuracy of findings. For the whole process to be carried out in the right way, strict guidelines must be followedand, of course, during the whole evidence gathering and processing a lot of things can go wrong. The primary concern is contamination of evidence, meaning the alteration or loss of original data. Such evidence is automatically inadmissible in court. The person processing the evidence must be educated in how to properly write and complete the chain of custody. If irregularities are found in the record, the evidence may be rejected. One of the scenarios that can affect credibility is the wrong interpretation of evidence - if the forensic scientist does not know the tool he is working with, it can lead to misinterpretation of data or failure to identify relevant data for the case. Mishandling digital evidence can harm the reputation of an individual, organization or agency involved in an investigation, and result in an unfavourable outcome of the trial.
Today, people are more and more interested in upgrading their knowledge. Those days when people were only required to go through the formal learning process of educational institutions are now gone. Lifelong education and continuous learning in today's world is not a need, it is a necessity.
As with any field, there are many online materials that are offered as free courses, but in the field of digital forensics it is recommended to contact the service provider directly or one of their partners.
The entire business model of such companies comes down to experts whose task is to learn new technologies and share knowledge in a simple and easy-to-understand way.