BSc (Hons) Computer Networks

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Digital Forensics The Next Four Years A
Strategic Discussion Harjinder Singh
Lallie (Programme Leader/Subject Coordinator,
Information Security and Digital Forensics)
School of Computing and Mathematics University of
Derby
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A bit about Derby..

• MSc Forensic Computing and Security launched 2007
• Highest intake at MSc level in School (lowest
  portion of international students)
• Excellent links with industry/police
• Excellent performance by students
• Revalidating to
• MSc Digital Forensics
• MSc Information Security
• BSc Computer Forensics and Security launched 2008
• One of the highest recruiters, certainly has the
  best retention/performance rate (higher than
  University average)

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Introduction

• A self critical view of how much further the
  digital forensics academic community really needs
  to go
• Where are we, how have we got here?
• Challenges over the next four years
• Possibly more questions than answers

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Where are we?
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Where are we as a community.?

• Computer Forensics and Games Programming have
  made computing popular again
• 4 years ago around 12 Digital Forensics or
  related courses on UCAS , currently around 65 for
  Sept 2011 (more on the way)
• Handful of Masters level courses
• 1 conference (4th year), 1 workshop (6th year)

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The job demand

• Surveyed 20 organisations through questionnaires
  and personal interviews including Police Hi-tech
  Crime units independent digital forensic firms
  Job demand difficult to predict/ascertain
• From 2013 gt1160 graduates a year looking for jobs
  having studies this in the UK
• Assuming 65 courses with 30 students per year,
  15 drop from Y1?y2 and then 7 Y2?Y3/graduation
• Many courses have a lot more than 30 students
  entering at Y1
• 20 out of 46 respondents suggested
• Tiny increase in opportunity
• Less outsourcing as (a) more police forces get
  equipped, (b) austerity
• Police forces generally suggest freeze on posts
  due to austerity measures, but dont expect that
  to continue
• National Crime Agency will have an impact on how
  investigations are conducted and may introduce
  efficiency measures

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Some characteristics of the Digital Forensics
Industry

• Relatively young (similar to Games Programming)
• Behaviours
• Industry wants a substantial vocational element,
  academia wants to produce graduates with highly
  transferrable skills
• Industry is not buying the placements concept
• Career paths are not well defined
• No single accepted (vendor independent?)
  professional accreditation

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Challenges
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The challenges over the next 4 years
Student Expectations
Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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Student Expectations
Student Expectations
Market Saturation?
Research

• The CSI generation - 40 entrants in 2010 _at_ Derby
  somewhat influenced by CSI
• Helicopter parents is it a worthy investment?
• What happens when the 2012-2013 graduates arent
  getting jobs in digital forensics?
• Are our courses essentially computer science
  courses?

Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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Research
Student Expectations

• Why are we still only at HEA Workshop and CFET?
• UK National Digital Forensics research
  conference? (Is the research being presented in
  other conferences?)
• International Research links?
• Cross University Research links?

Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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Internationalisation
Student Expectations

• Have we sold digital forensics abroad
  especially in India and China (2 of the top 4 non
  EU markets in 2010)

Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
The complete University Guide 2010
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Professionalism/Accreditation

• Independent Accreditation The Council for
  Registration of Forensics Practitioners,
  International Association of Computer
  Investigative Specialists (IACIS), High
  Technology Crime Investigation Association
  (HTCIA), Institute of Computer Forensic
  Practitioners (ICFP) and the CCE
• Vendor Specific ACE, ENCE and other mobile phone
  related certifications
• The discipline desperately needs accreditation,
  but are we leading the debate on
  professionalism/accreditation?

Student Expectations
Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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Market Saturation
Student Expectations

• Are we already there?
• What happens when 65 becomes 100 (gt220 networks
  courses)
• What is the next Digital Forensics/Games
  Programming will we evolve?

Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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Questions/comments
Student Expectations
Market Saturation?
Research
Professionalism/ Accreditation
Internationalisation
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HEA conference on Employability in Computing16
February 2011

• http//www.derby.ac.uk/computing/research/hea-ics-
  conference
• Computer Forensics and Security track
• Teaching Ethical Hacking
•  Innovative approaches to teaching security in
  the curriculum
• Mathematical and black-box approaches to teaching
  security
• The accreditation debate
• Placements in Forensics and Security
• What does professionalism mean in Information
  Security/Digital Forensics?
• EnCase, FTK and the open-source debate
• The value of programming skills in the
  Security/forensics curriculum?
• Addressing gender imbalances in
  Security/Forensics degrees
• Managing diverse expectations
• Soft skills vs hard skills
• The value of Forensic science in the curriculum
• Teaching Law and the courtroom experience in
  Digital Forensics
• From Bachelors to Masters