Editor's Note: This post was originally published December 2014 and has recently been updated and revised for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Computer hacking forensic investigation is the process of detecting hacking attacks and properly extracting evidence to report the crime and conduct audits to prevent future attacks. In this way, computer forensics is much like other forms of forensics in that you search for evidence that can’t be seen by the untrained eye, looking for evidence buried deep within computer software and hardware.
Job responsibilities will often include using computer software to analyze and reconstruct computer files or financial records pertinent to an investigation. If you offer services directly related to a criminal case, you will likely be asked to prepare a report, so you need to document every action. Ultimately, computer forensics is simply the application of computer investigation and analysis techniques in the interests of determining potential evidence. CHFI investigators can draw on an array of methods for discovering data that resides in a computer system, or recovering deleted, encrypted, or damaged file information known as computer data recovery.
Computer crime is the ever-present malediction that security professions combat daily. Computer Investigation techniques are being used by police, government, and corporate entities globally and many of them turn to EC-Council for the Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator CHFI Certification Program. The tools and techniques covered in EC-Council’s CHFI program will prepare individuals to conduct computer investigations using groundbreaking digital forensics technologies.
Situations that call for a CHFI are numerous :
- Breach of NDA
- Hacking/Data Theft
- Possession of illegal pornography
- Industrial espionage
- E-mail Fraud
- Corporate Bankruptcy
- Web page/profile defacement
Become a Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator
The CHFI certification is used to validate the candidate’s skills to identify an intruder’s footprints and to properly gather the necessary evidence to prosecute in the court of law. Computer forensics graduates have been in high demand over the past few years, with Glassdoor reporting an average salary of over $96,750 as of 2019.
Target Audience
- Police and other law enforcement personnel
- Defense and Military personnel
- Corporate IT professionals
- Systems administrators
- Legal professionals
- Banking and Insurance professionals
- Government agencies
- IT managers
Training and Exam Information
The CHFI certification is awarded after successfully passing an exam. The recommended training is EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI). It is also strongly recommended that you attend the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) class before enrolling into CHFI course.
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