Digital Forensics Training
As computer software and operating systems rapidly change, digital forensics experts and other law enforcement personnel must keep pace by constantly updating their tools and training. Microsoft, for example, releases a new operating system every few years. Cell phone manufacturers update operating systems even more frequently. Law enforcement officers need to understand the nuances of new and updated operating systems, including temporary files, random access memory and the Windows registry.
The advent of cloud computing, which allows users to create, share and store files on remote computers through the Internet, heightens the challenge faced by digital forensics experts. (Two well-known and relatively simple examples of cloud computing include Google's web-based e-mail and document tools: Gmail and Google Docs.) As a result, law enforcement can no longer expect to go to a particular physical location to obtain all digital evidence. For example, child pornographers might store images in the cloud, masking their identity in the process.
State and local law enforcement must be kept up-to-date on technological advances such as cloud computing in order to successfully collect and analyze digital evidence that is admissible in court. To support law enforcement in this endeavor, NIJ sponsors digital forensics training courses, including:
- Computer Forensics Investigative Training
- Digital Evidence Collection Training
- Macintosh Forensics Training
- Peer-to-Peer Network Forensics Training
- Mobile Device Forensic Training
Learn about more training resources from the Digital Evidence Resource List: Legal, Technical and Training.
