I'm increasingly seeing salary's of forensic analysts dropping over the years, at a rapid rate. This can be due to the credit crunch, or saturation of graduates in the market.
Do people think this field will no longer be classed as a specialist field within a few years, and be as common as 'network/IT support analysts' ?
If so, how many years do you estimate until total saturation just like the above roles? Personally, i say 4 years max until Forensic analysts largely outnumber roles.
Regards
L
I don't think that we'll ever reach that situation…assuming market saturation also assumes that the market stay stagnant (and it doesn't) so that personnel catch up.
Windows 7 was just released and I don't think that in two years we'll have uncovered every stone. I do think that an extremely small minority will have done so, but I do not think that the vast majority of the community will have the breadth of knowledge.
That's just one OS. Mac and Linux will continue to develop, portable devices will continue to be designed, and cyber crime will become increasingly more sophisticated (in part, in accordance with the increase in complexity of OSs).
I think that what will happen is that we'll move more toward specialization in the field, with a small number leading that specialization. I do think that the number of people and organizations "doing" forensics will increase, but I also think that we will face the same issues we see today…those organizations that "do" forensics will stay around b/c the uneducated consumer organizations will always seek lowest price over quality examinations.
The problem is the 'retard' factor. (just look around ,how many times have you seen "i want to become a forensic ******" )
I don't want to sound 'elitist', but it's getting like the great MBA caper , where the goal is to make as much money from the scene as possible.
It's as if Adam and Eve just discovered sex ,everybody is offering forensic courses -but there is just no scientific rigor.
Stick around for a couple of years answer two discussion questions a week do a bit of mediocre homework , and you too could could pretend to be a real policeman with optional plastic handcuffs and rubberised trunction.
Too much hard work? no problem we offer the 3 day fast track option.
When people meet me , I like to tell them i'm a venture capitalist.
I don't think that here in the USA, especially in Michigan there will be too many computer forensic experts. Here in Michigan, you must have a PI license, and that's pretty hard to meet the requirements to get the license. This really limits who can and cannot do forensic work. This seems to be a disturbing trend throughout the USA. ?
There is a counter-trend happening also. This past year, Montana and North Carolina have excluded digital forensic examiners from PI licensing, and the American Bar Association is pressing states to remove licensing requirements also.
don't forget Mr Renison and regulation is around the corner in the UK. i'm sure that will change things a bit.
If all goes to his recomendations, you won't be able to just pop on a forensic badge and start examining.
By the way, before I get shot down, i'm not agreeing with his recomendations……….
I don't think that we'll ever reach that situation…assuming market saturation also assumes that the market stay stagnant (and it doesn't) so that personnel catch up.
With recent laws, FRCP changes, compliance & regulatory issues and the exponential increase of digital storage, the demand will outpace the supply. The concern in my opinion is accepting that fact and not trying to rush to get as many examiners in the marketplace at the fastest pace. I would rather see quality than quantity in the field.