Digital Forensics Analysts
15-1299.06
Conduct investigations on computer-based crimes establishing documentary or physical evidence, such as digital media and logs associated with cyber intrusion incidents. Analyze digital evidence and investigate computer security incidents to derive information in support of system and network vulnerability mitigation. Preserve and present computer-related evidence in support of criminal, fraud, counterintelligence, or law enforcement investigations.
Sample of reported job titles: Cyber Analyst, Cyber Digital Forensics, Cyber Digital Media Analyst, Cyber Forensics Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst (Cyber), Cybersecurity Engineer (Cyber), Cybersecurity Incident Response Analyst (Cyber), Cybersecurity Specialist (Cyber), Digital Analyst, Digital Computer Analyst, Digital Cyber Analyst, Digital Forensic Analyst, Digital Forensic Examiner, Digital Forensics Analyst, Digital Investigator, Digital Media Analyst, Incident Responder, Incident Response Analyst, Information Technology Security Analyst (IT Security Analyst), IT Analyst (Information Technology Analyst), Law Enforcement Counterintelligence Forensics Analyst, Legal Digital Analyst, Malware Analyst, Offensive Security Engineer, Operations Analyst, Security Analyst
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Adhere to legal policies and procedures related to handling digital media.
- Analyze log files or other digital information to identify the perpetrators of network intrusions.
- Conduct predictive or reactive analyses on security measures to support cyber security initiatives.
- Create system images or capture network settings from information technology environments to preserve as evidence.
- Develop plans for investigating alleged computer crimes, violations, or suspicious activity.
- Develop policies or requirements for data collection, processing, or reporting.
- Duplicate digital evidence to use for data recovery and analysis procedures.
- Identify or develop reverse-engineering tools to improve system capabilities or detect vulnerabilities.
- Maintain cyber defense software or hardware to support responses to cyber incidents.
- Maintain knowledge of laws, regulations, policies or other issuances pertaining to digital forensics or information privacy.
- Perform file signature analysis to verify files on storage media or discover potential hidden files.
- Perform forensic investigations of operating or file systems.
- Perform web service network traffic analysis or waveform analysis to detect anomalies, such as unusual events or trends.
- Preserve and maintain digital forensic evidence for analysis.
- Recommend cyber defense software or hardware to support responses to cyber incidents.
- Recover data or decrypt seized data.
- Write and execute scripts to automate tasks, such as parsing large data files.
- Write cyber defense recommendations, reports, or white papers using research or experience.
- Write reports, sign affidavits, or give depositions for legal proceedings.
- Write technical summaries to report findings.
Technology Skills
- Analytical or scientific software - Guidance Software EnCase Enterprise
- Application server software - Kubernetes 🔥
- Authentication server software - Single sign-on SSO
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software - Platform as a service PaaS; Slack 🔥
- Configuration management software - IBM Terraform 🔥
-
Data base user interface and query software -
Amazon Web Services AWS software
; Microsoft Access 🔥; ServiceNow ; Structured query language SQL
-
Development environment software -
C 🔥; Go 🔥; Microsoft Azure software ; Microsoft PowerShell ; Ruby 🔥
- Enterprise application integration software - Enterprise application integration EAI software; Extensible markup language XML 🔥
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software - Management information systems MIS
-
Enterprise system management software -
Splunk Enterprise
- Expert system software - Ansible software 🔥
- Filesystem software - Computer forensic software
- Geographic information system - Geographic information system GIS systems
- Graphical user interface development software - Graphical user interface GUI design software
- Internet directory services software - Microsoft Active Directory 🔥; Network directory services software
- Network monitoring software - AccessData FTK; Cisco Systems Cisco NetFlow Collection Engine; IBM QRadar SIEM; Snort; Wireshark
- Network security and virtual private network VPN equipment software - Firewall software
- Network security or virtual private network VPN management software - Intrusion detection system IDS
-
Object or component oriented development software -
C# 🔥; C++ ; Oracle Java ; Perl ; Python ; R 🔥
- Office suite software - Google Workspace software 🔥; Microsoft Office software 🔥
-
Operating system software -
Apple iOS ; Apple macOS ; Bash ; Linux ; Microsoft Windows 🔥; Microsoft Windows Server 🔥; Operating system software; UNIX
- Presentation software - Microsoft PowerPoint 🔥
- Program testing software - Kali Linux; MITRE ATT&CK software; System testing software
- Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel 🔥
- Storage networking software - Amazon Simple Storage Service S3 🔥
- Switch or router software - Border Gateway Protocol BGP 🔥
- Transaction security and virus protection software - Metasploit; Microsoft Defender Antivirus; OpenVAS; Portswigger BurP Suite; Tenable Nessus
- Transaction server software - Web server software
- Web platform development software - Hypertext markup language HTML 🔥; JavaScript 🔥; PHP 🔥; Security assertion markup language SAML
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
- Monitor the security of digital information.
- Examine records or other types of data to investigate criminal activities.
- Analyze security of systems, network, or data.
- Compile technical information or documentation.
- Plan production or operational procedures or sequences.
- Establish operational policies.
- Record images needed to address work issues.
- Identify information technology project resource requirements.
- Develop technical methods or processes.
- Maintain computer equipment or software.
- Maintain knowledge of laws or regulations.
- Analyze traffic data.
- Maintain records, documents, or other files.
- Provide recommendations to others about computer hardware.
- Recommend changes to improve computer or information systems.
- Translate information for others.
- Write computer programming code.
- Enter codes or other information into computers.
- Write reports or evaluations.
- Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.