Digital Evidence Discovery and Digital Evidence Investigation Certificates

Two new certificates offer forensic training for students to provide the skills to locate, recover, and analyze digital evidence. They include but are not limited to:

• Understanding how to identify and safely recover digital evidence from computers, cell phones and other end-user devices;
• Conducting an analysis of data to determine evidentiary value;
• Understanding the rules of evidence and applicable law necessary in the collection, preservation and presentation of digital evidence; and
• Understanding the difference between computer crime and computer related crime in today’s society.

The proliferation and use of technology has resulted in the use of these advances in high-tech crimes as well as changed the method of operation for those involved in criminal activity. For example, fraud may no longer involve “forging checks, etc…”, but now involve debit or credit card fraud. Organized “scams” over the internet are now prevalent. Each of these areas requires a new skill set for practitioners in the field. It is common in this day and age, for those involved in criminal activity to have used social media, email, their smartphone or a combination of these while engaged in criminal activity.

The certificates are geared towards the practice of digital forensics. The Digital Evidence Discovery Certificate contains curriculum that includes digital evidence recovery, preservation and collection of vital information from personal computers and networks. The field investigator or probation officer, for example, needs the basic know-how to collect digital evidence and follow approved procedures. The same is true for corporate IT professionals. The Digital Evidence Investigation Certificate provides investigators with a foundation for investigating digital data itself, in the lab. Students interested in the Digital Evidence Investigation Certificate must first complete the Digital Evidence Discovery Certificate. Only one transfer course can be accepted for each certificate (total of two). The two certificates are designed to provide courses that most directly apply to the digital data field and lab investigators. Eight of the ten courses are already required in the Computer and Network Security (CNS) undergraduate degree. The others can be used as electives.