Anyone have any ideas on how to prepare for the EnCe without spending thousands?
No wonder so many companies avoid CF, it costs a fortune…even to train! I think some of these companies (re Guidance) are greedily jumping at short term profits in place of encouraging a wider use of their products by the business community - ridiculous, especially in this depression.
Greetings,
Buy the EnCE book and borrow a copy of EnCase. You're good to go.
What companies are avoiding CF?
CF can be very expensive, as I know all too well. But you can also do a lot with open source tools.
I'm not a huge fan of GSI, but they're charging what the market will bear. Should they lower their prices to make us happy, or price their products where they believe they can maximize revenue?
And look around, their products *are* widely used. If they weren't, you wouldn't be trying to get your EnCE.
-David
To defend the devil
Companies like Guidance have an extremely small market. Microsoft, by contrast, can sell millions of its Office suite, and thus at a much cheaper rate, and still make the same amount of money as Guidance at a much higher rate. Guidance is just like any other company, they need to pay their investors and their workers. They aren't rolling in money like some companies that are well known for overcharging and currently have more cash reserves than the US Government…
If everyone and their mother started doing computer forensics, you'd see prices plummet.
That said, find a college and take a class. Or, get a job that uses EnCase. Or, just go for other certifications. There are plenty of options, not all of them good. But, if you are determined, it will happen.
In Southern California, EnCase courses are taught as part of the
Greetings,
Andy *really* knows what he is talking about, and is a superb instructor.
-David
"Andy *really* knows what he is talking about, and is a superb instructor."
I'm sure he does, but I live in MA (should of mentioned that)
Thanks,
Mike
Check the CEIC conference. The 2012 conference is offering EnCE prep course and phase 1 for price of attendance. 2012 conference registration costs $695, plus it is in Nevada so price in travel and hotel. With all the additional training you can receive above and beyond the EnCE, this will provide significant bang for your buck.
Otherwise, buy the EnCE study guide and read up.
This isn't directed at you so much as the repeated 'on the cheap' style posts I see monthly, if not more often.
This is a profession. This is a career. This isn't like McDonalds, where you can walk up and they train you. There is no 'on the cheap'. If you seriously want a job in this field, you have to be willing to pay out. I paid for a Associates degree, plus a lot of extra classes, and I was grossly under-qualified for the vast majority of positions out there.
So, buy the tools yourself (and use them to start your own little business), or go to school and learn whatever tools they teach. In the end, there is no 'on the cheap' if you want to further your career.
I completely disagree with your "greed" theory and I seriously doubt that you have ever run a business of any magnitude or you would certainly know better. When I owned a small business with about 100 employees I can tell you that 'greed' wasn't even mentioned, the word 'survival' was mentioned many times.
It was all about keeping a great product out there that people wanted and used, which allowed us to sell enough of that product so we could make Payroll every week. Do that and our people could feed their families, put their kids through school, pay the mortgage, and make it day to day just like you do. If you want 'greed' look at the politicians in this country as many of them are among the greediest people in the world.
However, I understand your frustration. About three years ago, when the economy was going south, GSI offered a "Passport" training program. You paid $5,000 and for one year you could take all of the training you could attend at any GSI facility in the country. Did you check with GSI to see if this is still in effect?
I know of several people who used it to take every course they needed for full EnCE certification in one year. They took Forensics I, Forensics II, EnCE Prep, and then they took the written test, and if they passed that they took the field test, and if they passed that they were certified. All for $5K instead of the $12K or $15 K it would have taken w/o the Passport Program.
Contact GSI training and find out. The EnCE book someone mentioned is very good but I always think live training with Q&A is better if you can do it.
Good Luck!
Anyone have any ideas on how to prepare for the EnCe without spending thousands?
No wonder so many companies avoid CF, it costs a fortune…even to train! I think some of these companies (re Guidance) are greedily jumping at short term profits in place of encouraging a wider use of their products by the business community - ridiculous, especially in this depression.