MPs warn of chaotic forensic landscape

For no apparent reason, a recent news post on Forensic Focus
http//www.forensicfocus.com/News/article/sid=2065/

The source
http//www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3451825/digital-forensics-professionals-get-global-certification/

A few relevant (IMHO) excerpts

The Certified Cyber Forensics Professional (CCFP) will be launched in 25 September in the US and South Korea and in other countries, possibly including the UK, at a later time.

It aims to create a degree of standardisation across multiple disciplines and countries, defining the legal, ethical and technical demands of the profession into a single qualification that will help employers, the organisation said.

A decade ago such skills were a fringe interest wielded by a relatively small number of specialists that had developed their skills on the job, usually working for police forces.

The huge ramp in cybercrime and the need to handle digital evidence has taken the field into the mainstream where is now heavy demand without employers having a single standard by which to judge applicants.

Applicants for CCFP the must hold a four-year Baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) and have three years or more of full time digital forensics or IT security experience in half of the six defined skill areas (legal and ethical, investigations, forensics, digital forensics, app forensics, and hybrid and emerging technologies). Those not holding a Baccalaureate must have six years full time experience.

And some comments
A smart, serious, conscientious, hard working and what not yute wink
http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0104952/quotes?item=qt0404568
in the BEST of hypothesis (i.e. perfect UNI carrier AND immediate postgraduate job in the specific field OR immediate post high school job in the field) cannot possibly apply for the certification exams before being 25 or 26 years old.

And some good ol'time references

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indentured_servant
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_medieval_Europe
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprenticeship
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensure
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practicing_without_a_license

jaclaz

Yes - and this is a perfect example how something that is of little value will be proofed in the flames of courts.

I have a serious beef with the CCFP description by ISC

compared to the actual requirements to attain the certification.

At this time, I believe CCFP is just a "paper CNE", and will be discounted fast enough.

The huge ramp in cybercrime and the need to handle digital evidence has taken the field into the mainstream where is now heavy demand without employers having a single standard by which to judge applicants.

Really? Not one? There is not a single certification that is out there, and employers are clamoring at your door for you to save the day?

Does ISC

CISSP require any practical testing? No.
Does ISC

CAP require any practical testing? No.
Does ISC

SSCP require any practical testing? No.
Does ISC

CSSLP require any practical testing? No.
Will ISC

CCFP require any practical testing? No.

But, CFCE, CCE, and all the others, which require not just regurgitation of book knowledge, as the CCFP, but also demonstrate and some repeatedly, practical, hands-on forensics do not exist?

evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil

Yes - and this is a perfect example how something that is of little value will be proofed in the flames of courts.

Sure ) .

But I wanted to highlight the fallacy of the reasoning.

The preamble is that the certification is needed because there is a high demand of digital forensics qualified personnel.

Imagine that (as it happened at the beginning of WWII) the UK was in high demand of aircraft pilots and of fighter aircrafts.

At the time the "solution to the high demand of fighter aircrafts" was to start producing more planes.

The "solution to the high demand of RAF pilots" was to make "crash courses" to make in no time good willing kids become "good enough" in piloting Spitfires, Hurricanes (and what not) to be sent against a highly trained, highly technological military aviation corp like Luftwaffe was at the time. (and it worked)

Now imagine that the same problem was tackled today.

There would be three different certifications needed, the volunteers would need to have a degree in engineering (or mathematics and physics), at least 1000 hors of flight experience on small civil aircrafts, and since the number of such candidates would be trifling, the war would be lost.

When there is demand of something/somebody you produce more of what is needed, and you do that quickly, you don't add qualifications to the minimum requisites, and such qualifications that it will take 6 or 7 years to get.

jaclaz

I think I understand what you are saying.

I usually refer to this as the consulting triangle
In a request for quote, I ask them to pick to out of three. Good, fast, cheap.
I can produce fast and cheap, but will not be good.
I can produce fast and good, but will not be cheap.
I can produce good and cheap, but will not be fast.

This is the fast and cheap. Result will be not good.

Just for fun, some old (check the date - besides the year wink ) news
http//attrition.org/attrition/hoax_defacement-05-04-01.html

jaclaz

A blast from the past
http//web.archive.org/web/20001206185300/http//www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/TDM/certification.html
found through
http//www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/01/do-certifications-matter.html

jaclaz

Mobile Forensics Diplomas

Following on from the article Forensic Erosion ( http//trewmte.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/forensic-erosion.html ) the MTEB Diplomas fill the gap between a time limited (expiration) certificate and a Degree course. You may not have seen it but I did produce six MTEB Diploma options and posted it here - http//trewmte.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/diplomas-mobile-telephone-evidence.html . Moreover, it could help Universities focus their approach to producing Mobile Forensics Degrees with applicants holding a Diploma using it for credits towards the Degree.

http//trewmte.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/mobile-forensics-diplomas.html

The latest MTEB Diploma Modules Guide is MTEdipl 2.2 -
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84491783/MTEdipl%202.2.pdf

how about this?

http//pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/21/0956797613481812.abstract

According to this research, forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are biased, based on who writes their checks…

how about this?

http//pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/21/0956797613481812.abstract

According to this research, forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are biased, based on who writes their checks…

jhup the issue which many may think might be common place across the forensics spectrum is usefully exposed in your post and it is right, in my view, to broadcast details how unintended/unacceptable conduct occurs.

It is not something, though, I can carry forward alone because the basis to the Diplomas are to recognise the knowledge, skills and experience a person currently possesses; not how that person may/may not morally/ethically proceed to use the combination of their knowledge, skill and experience. I can though refer students to philosophical, moral and ethical materials, like those you and jaclaz have helpfully referred.