Escaping the Computer-Forensics Certification Maze: A Survey of Professional Certifications

Abstract

With the proliferation of computer crime, the demand for computer-forensics experts continues to increase. Yet with so many computer-forensics certifications currently available, it is not an easy task for those outside the discipline to understand the differences among the various certifications. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of all the existing computer-forensics certifications for the benefits of non-computer-forensics practitioners. Twenty-six computer-forensics certifications offered by 17 different associations are described and compared based on criteria such as certification requirements and knowledge coverage. The paper is useful to three groups of readers: (1) individuals who want to join the computer-forensics profession; (2) academics who are responsible for curriculum development in computer forensics; and (3) top-level managers who want to recruit computer-forensics professionals.