Digital forensics? It’s crime scene investigation – online

You’ve probably heard of forensic science – examining crime scenes, analysing fingerprints, and running tests to identify unknown drugs – but have you heard of digital forensics?

This rapidly growing field is all about identifying, collecting and examining evidence of digital crimes like security breaches, cyberattacks, dating scams and identity theft, as well as physical crimes that leave a digital trace.

Where forensics and IT meet

The profession sits squarely at the intersection of forensic science and IT – if it was a TV show, it’d be a cross between CSI and Mr Robot.

“Digital forensic science is essential for dealing with digital crime, such as a network hacking case, and collecting evidence from the digital space to present in a court of law,” says Dr Manoranjan Mohanty, a lecturer in the UTS Forensic Science program.

At UTS, you can major in Digital Forensics as part of the Bachelor of Forensic Science. The course combines the basics of forensic science with tech-driven subjects like digital trace and identity, digital and cybercrime, web monitoring and investigations. 

More careers than you can count

Career options are vast: graduates can go on to work as digital forensic scientists or analysts, cyberthreat intelligence analysts or fraud investigators, among other roles. They’re sought after by both public sector agencies (like the state and federal police) and private sector companies (like accounting firms, law firms and banks) – just ask recent grad Jacqueline Bonner, who’s now a digital forensic analyst for Deloitte.

“My role involves collecting, preserving and analysing digital evidence using specialised software such as Encase and Nuix. It’s very project-based, so I’m constantly learning different technical and/or soft skills depending on what project I’m working on,” she says.

“My UTS degree gave me a great understanding of the fundamental principles of forensic science, something which is crucial when dealing with evidence that may be used in court. It also provided me with a good understanding of computer systems and the forensic artefacts which can be found on them, as well as some basic programming and research skills.”

And the pay isn’t too shabby either: according to Indeed Australia, IT security specialists make an average of $98,537 per year, while information security analysts make just over $100K, although salaries vary depending on role, sector and employer. 

A game of criminal cat and mouse

But the pay is just one reason to consider a career in this remarkable and ever-changing field. The constant emergence of new technologies means that opportunities for digital crime are growing exponentially, especially in Australia, where cybercrime is more of an issue than anywhere else in the world*. For digital forensics specialists, staying a step ahead of the bad guys is what keeps things interesting.

According to Dr Mohanty: “This cat-and-mouse game is unlikely to end in the foreseeable future, meaning that an array of opportunities and challenges lays ahead for digital forensic science professionals.”

Identify, investigate and solve cybercrime.  Learn more about the Bachelor of Forensic Science (Digital Forensics) at UTS. 

* PwC Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey 2020