Cyber Work Podcast recap: What does a military forensics and incident responder do?

Introduction

Cybersecurity meets CSI in the exciting field of digital forensics and incident response. In this role, tech-savvy investigators sift through computer systems and servers for clues to crimes. You can find digital forensics specialists working for a diverse array of employers, including the military, law enforcement and private cybersecurity companies. 

Digital forensics career snapshot: 

• Median salary of $94,000/year 
• Possible job titles include forensic computer analyst, digital forensics analyst, cyber forensic specialist and incident responder 
• 84% of job postings require a four-year degree or higher

(Source: CyberSeek)

In a recent episode of the CyberWork Podcast, host Chris Sienko sat down with Daniel Young, managing partner of QuoLab Technologies, a threat-driven security operations platform. Daniel has worked in the digital forensics field for over 15 years in both military and civilian settings. He shared his experience with military forensics and incident response so future digital detectives can get clued in on the career. 

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Getting started in digital forensics and incident response

Daniel’s journey to digital forensics began as a “young warthog” with his beloved IBM 8086. He cut his teeth on MS-DOS 6.22 before graduating to online gaming and building his own computers. From there, his passion became a course of study at college, where he earned a degree in computer science. 

The first time he heard the term “digital forensics” was when he joined the Air Force. As a trainee, he went through on-the-job training and took specialized courses through the Department of Defense and the Defense Cybercrime Center (DC3). The fact that he spoke Arabic also helped him secure him a spot on a digital forensics team. Daniel used his Arabic skills and digital forensics knowledge to analyze devices taken from the battlefield, such as cell phones and laptops.

Types of forensics (Read more...)