Most people know about digital forensics from TV dramas and shows. In real life, things are not as flashy and straightforward. Anyone who worked in this multi-faced field knows what it takes to become a successful digital forensic expert.
The recovery and investigation of material found in digital devices require specialized skills acquiring through years of practice and exposure to real-life scenarios.
Like new residents at hospitals, inexperienced digital forensic “experts” are often clueless about real-life situations. That’s because there’s a big gap between digital forensics in theory and practice. Let’s dive deep to help you figure out when we mean:
A Primer of Digital Forensics in Theory vs. Practice
Digital forensics is an advanced yet undeveloped field defined by the reactive nature of its development. It’s simple in theory but complex in practice.
The professionals often deal with time-sensitive cases, reconstruct data from networks, or secure confidential details, which is a complicated process itself.
They must preserve digital information forensically to have evidentiary value. Often, theoretical concepts can be a hindering in their practical work.
Data Cross-Contamination: the divergence from theory
One of the most popular digital forensics practices, in theory, is analyzing the data in a forensically sound environment to avoid data cross-contamination.
It means that if you don’t wipe off the piece of media before extracting data from the examining device, it can result in unrelated case data become part of the analysis.
While this may seem like a fascinating concept, in theory, it has little use in practical scenarios as the likelihood of files mixing with pre-existing data is next to none.
Lack of communication
We’ve observed that there’s a lack of communication between digital forensic researchers and practitioners. The latter fails to communicate the problems they face daily and cannot take advantage of their technical insights.
Researchers, on the other hand, don’t understand the technical scope of practitioners.
It’s the primary reason behind the enlarging gap between theory and practice that adds to new digital forensics professionals’ existing challenges.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity isn’t easy to perfect. Even if you have robust controls in place, it’s essential to have a contingency plan in place.
You must have the number of incident response service provider on your speed dial to mitigate damage from a cybersecurity incident.
Digital forensics is a complex field. The professionals require extensive training and exposure to bring value to their clients and strengthen defenses against future incidents.
If you’re looking for a reliable digital forensics and cybersecurity solutions company, get in touch with ISA Cybersecurity. We offer security advisory services and breach response services at competitive rates. We have the theoretical knowledge and practical experience to navigate the cybersecurity challenges effectively. Call 1-877-591-6711 to get started!