Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics: Partners Against Crime
Cybersecurity’s role in crime prevention is an evolving niche alongside computer forensics. The skillsets that cybersecurity professionals bring to prevent cyber crime goes hand in hand with computer forensics resources to respond.
Cybersecurity’s role with forensics starts with prevention. By protecting businesses and organizations from cyber attacks. “These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users via ransomware; or interrupting normal business processes.” (CISCO, 2022)
Types of Cyber Threats
- Phishing
- Malware
- Social Engineering
- Ransomware
What do cybersecurity and computer forensics have in common?
“First: change your passwords and make them stronger! We’ve all heard that advice, but it remains true. Weak credentials and credential re-use are still some of the biggest problems out there.
Second: Educate yourself on cybersecurity trends and how to protect yourself and your sensitive data from current threats. We now live in an age where all of our most important assets are digitized – which means we’re all able to be victims of an attack.”
–Threat Forensic Investigator Cristina Vatamanu’s advice for cyber crime prevention
Additional certifications needed to enter computer forensics:
- Certified Digital Forensics Examiner
- Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator
- Certified Forensic Computer Examiner
- Advanced Smartphone Forensics
Conclusion
It was very interesting to me throughout this process to learn how much cybersecurity and computer forensics compliment one another. They each tackle similar issues from different approaches, but come together against the same force. I enjoyed learning about the growing advancements in both fields that are bridging this connection.
With cyber crime’s climbing rate year after year, it is more important than ever to learn how to protect ourselves and what to do to mitigate potential losses in the event of a crime. Cybersecurity and computer forensics work hand-in-hand to prevent internet crime and prosecute perpetrators who commit these crimes.
All in all, cyber crime is on the rise– it is up to us to counteract its increasing rate, protect ourselves and others from cyber attacks, and anticipate future attempts to commit these internet crimes. Through the partnership of cybersecurity professionals preventing these crimes or limiting how much damage they can cause, computer forensics professionals are also working to compile the evidence of said crimes and prosecute the perpetrators behind cyber attacks.
References
(October 2022) https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/what-is-cybersecurity.html#~types-of-threats
(October 2022) https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/building-cybersecurity-resiliency-an-interview-with-a-threat-forensic-investigator
(October 2022) https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/building-cybersecurity-resiliency-an-interview-with-a-threat-forensic-investigator
(October 2022) https://www.statista.com/chart/24593/most-common-types-of-cyber-crime/
(October 2022) https://cybersecurityguide.org/programs/cybersecurity-certifications/digital-forensics/
