Career Prospects for a Computer Forensic Investigator

Computer forensics is the analyses of information found on computer systems to be produced as evidence in a court of law.

Some of the computer related crimes include computer fraud, identity theft, unauthorised access, pornography, and invasion of privacy, viruses, sabotage, espionage, terrorism and the like.

In view of increasing instances of computer related crime, computer forensic investigator jobs seem to be on the rise. It is the computer hacking forensics investigator who tops the list of being in demand in law enforcement agencies and other corporate organizations.

A computer forensic investigator would have to perform the following functions;

• Identification, collection and examination of evidence. The investigator should collect all physical evidence, such as the computer, peripherals, notepads, or documentation, in addition to computer-generated evidence
• Isolating the machine from the network and reconstructing damaged systems for retrieving any necessary evidence
• Preparing a report on the investigation conducted
• Providing testimony in court, if necessary

In other words, a Computer forensic investigator provides expert help in retrieving any evidence that the police is unable to obtain in a computer related crime. The investigator uses only such forensic tool kits or recovery programs for investigation that are approved and recognized by the court.

If you wish to become a computer forensic investigator, then your salary would depend on your educational background (whether Master’s or Bachelor’s) and the organization you work for (whether a law enforcement agency or a corporate firm). You may also work as a freelancer in which case you may earn more money than a regular job.

A computer forensic investigator’s salary may range from forty thousand dollars to a hundred forty thousand dollars annually. The salary is on the higher side if you have a Master’s degree and the salary is in thirty-forty thousand range, if you have an Associate’s Degree. The salary prospects can be sufficiently enhanced by securing an additional networking certification like CISCO and the like.