Online ExpertTrack in Law

Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR): An Introduction

4.8 (6 reviews)

Start your cyber security career as you discover how performing digital forensics and incident response is vital for any business.

Created by

PA ConsultingPA Consulting

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Accredited by

The CPD Certification ServiceThe CPD Certification Service

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Learn from the DFIR experts at PA Consulting

Take your first steps on your journey to a digital forensics career with this ExpertTrack from the specialists at PA Consulting.

You’ll get an insider look into what it takes to become a cyber investigator as you develop practical skills that are in demand today.

Learning from experts in the field and members of PA’s cyber security training and capability development team – you’ll gain knowledge and skills to help you tackle cyber security incidents and protect your organisation.

Learn how to counteract cyber threats

Not only is a cyber security incident disruptive, but it can be hugely damaging both financially and to a company’s reputation.

You’ll learn the important frameworks to help reduce the harm and impact caused by a cyber security attack, and help you deter future attacks.

Master the basics of cyber crime investigation

Exploring cyber crime, you’ll learn how to investigate and prevent attacks.

You’ll understand the importance of collecting data and how to do it correctly, before examining the challenges that come with being a cyber investigator.

Delve into digital forensics and malware

You’ll explore the fundamentals of malware analysis to help you understand how malicious software can cause harm.

You’ll learn how to identify different types of malware, as well as how to recognise malware on a computer system to help protect your data and devices.

Put your skills into practice and learn how to handle digital evidence and investigate malware

The final two courses on the ExpertTrack will help you gain hands-on experience through practical exercises.

You’ll explore the important role of digital evidence and how to correctly examine, extract, recover, and interpret data.

You’ll also delve into malware investigations to learn different types of malware analysis to help protect or recover from a potential attack.

By the end of this ExpertTrack, you’ll have the confidence, knowledge, and practical skills to take your first steps into digital forensics.

Industry statistics

  • UK job openings/month

    3,000
  • Job satisfaction

    4.0/5

Key skills you will learn

  • Digital Forensics
  • Cyber Security
  • Incident Response
  • Malware Protection

Learning outcomes

By the end of the ExpertTrack, you’ll be able to...

  • Explain the legal and regulatory implications of a cyber security incident
  • Demonstrate a practical understanding of the legislation, best practice, process and challenges associated with the investigation of cyber-crime.
  • Assess how data is stored, interpreted, managed, communicated and can potentially be recovered from a digital device.
  • Develop a practical understanding of how to collect data and maintain its integrity
  • Classify the different analysis environment types
  • Develop the technical knowledge required to conduct basic Investigation

Experience required

This ExpertTrack is designed for anyone interested in digital forensics. You may be in a role that requires you to carry out cyber security assessments or you might be looking to pursue a career in this field.

Getting started

You don’t need any prior experience to join this ExpertTrack. If you’re interested in finding out more about digital forensics, cyber attacks, and incident response then join this introductory course.

ExpertTrack course overview

  • Course 1

    4.8 (6 reviews)

    Help secure your organisation as you discover potential cyber security threats and the frameworks you can use to prevent them.

    2 tests

    1 peer-graded assignment

    3 weeks

    3 hours per week

  • Course 2

    Master the basics of investigating and preventing cyber crime attacks alongside the cyber security experts at PA consulting.

    5 tests

    4 weeks

    3 hours per week

  • Course 3

    Learn to identify malware on a computer system to understand how to prevent malware attacks and enhance your cyber security.

    3 tests

    1 peer-graded assignment

    3 weeks

    3 hours per week

  • Course 4

    Gain practical skills in how to handle digital evidence and data collection to help kick start your career in cyber investigation.

    1 test

    3 weeks

    3 hours per week

  • Course 5

    Put your malware knowledge into practice to improve your digital forensics skills with this practical course from PA Consulting.

    5 tests

    5 weeks

    3 hours per week

Prove you're job ready

Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.

  • Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
  • Complete each course and pass assessments.
  • Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
  • Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
  • Make your career dreams a reality.

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How ExpertTracks work

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Pay a monthly subscription fee of $39 for as long as it takes you to complete the ExpertTrack. You can learn at your own pace and cancel at any time.

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Use your specialist training to progress further in your career or build expertise in areas you’re passionate about.

World-class learning with PA Consulting

An independent firm of over 2,600 people, we operate globally from offices across the Americas, Europe, the Nordics, the Gulf and Asia Pacific.

This ExpertTrack is accredited by The CPD Certification Service

The content of the following ExpertTrack has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles.

Meet your instructors

Jim is a digital forensic and incident response investigator working primarily in law enforcement casework, interpreting evidence from all types of digital platforms.

An accomplished digital forensic investigator, expert witness and trainer with 20 years experience in both law enforcement and private sectors on Windows, Linux and Mac systems and mobile devices.

Steve is a incident response consultant who specializes in cyber and malware investigations. Steve also authors and delivers cyber technical training courses to both public and private sector clients.

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Map your progress

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  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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ExpertTracks are a series of online courses designed to help you master new skills in specialist areas. You pay a monthly subscription fee which includes access to all courses within the ExpertTrack, as well as assessments and the final digital certificate.

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