http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/jobs/14starts.html By BARBARA WHITAKER NYTimes.com October 14, 2007 AFTER 31 years of eluding the police, the B.T.K. serial killer of Wichita, Kan., was tracked down and convicted in 2005 with the help of information left behind on a computer floppy disk. Scott Peterson’s conviction for murdering his pregnant wife, Laci, relied in part on his Internet research about the tides and water currents in the area where her body later turned up. From prominent murder cases to lowly divorce proceedings, the e-mail messages that people send and the Web sites they view can and will be used in court. The people who unearth this data and make it usable in the courtroom are known as computer forensic specialists. They are the cyberdetectives who mine the data that seems to disappear from — but never really leaves — computers and other electronic storage devices. “People who love computers, who love crime scene investigation, see this as a natural confluence of their skills without having to reach under a dead body,” said Craig D. Ball of Austin, Tex., a former trial lawyer who advises judges and lawyers on the use of electronic evidence. Computer forensic specialists examine hard drives and other storage areas, ferreting out information from things like spreadsheets, Word documents, instant messages and e-mail. They look for signs of tampering and for information that users may have tried to delete or hide. For many years, the field was dominated by law enforcement agencies and their employees. But it has expanded recently as consultants have entered the field and as various government agencies, corporations, financial institutions and other businesses have begun hiring their own experts. The work can be both rewarding and tedious. It can take weeks or months to sort through a multitude of files and other digital data, some of which can be encrypted. Computer forensic specialists must also be able to retrieve and store it in a way that does not destroy or change other data on the computer. Mr. Ball noted that 30 years ago, when offices did not have personal computers, there was an actual paper trail to follow, with the help of file clerks and file rooms. “As we migrated to electronic communication and information creation, we empowered individuals to create their own information,” he said. “We also empowered them to hide it or seek to destroy or alter it, and you no longer had the pristine copy in the file room or the missing page in the management system.” As demand for computer forensic employees has grown, formal education programs have emerged, along with a plethora of certifications and a handful of professional associations. Professionals in the field estimate that the average salary for computer forensic specialists is about $85,000, depending on experience and location. Entry-level positions can start at around $50,000 a year. Kris E. Turnbull, director of the Cyber Crime Institute, a continuing education program at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, said his students tended to be 30 to 50 years old, with a background in Internet technology. Some had jobs that were eliminated at corporations, he said. The institute, started in 2002, offers online programs that can take about three to four months to complete. Students who graduate from the institute receive a certification backed by the International Society for Forensic Computer Examiners. Michael Kirk, 28, who graduated in 2006 from Champlain College in Burlington, Vt., with a degree in computer forensics, said he sought a bachelor’s degree in the field because an associate degree was not getting him a job. In addition, “Experience is paramount,” he said, noting that he did an internship with a computer forensics software company while getting his bachelor’s. Many educators say internships are vital in helping students land jobs after graduation. “There are plenty of computer forensic jobs,” he said. “But a lot require previous experience as well as certification in various tools.” The number of possible certifications is extensive, and they can be time-consuming and cost hundreds of dollars to obtain. Some certifications are related to knowledge of software like EnCase and AccessData, which are used to mine computers for information. Others come from professional organizations like the International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners, which is affiliated with a private Virginia company, Key Computer Services, and the High Tech Crime Network, a group of law enforcement agencies and corporate security professionals. While some companies require certain certifications, others don’t. Mr. Kirk, now an evidence consultant at FTI, a consulting firm that specializes in investigations and litigation, said the work was interesting and rewarding. But he said that people contemplating a career in the field should be open to relocating. “It hasn’t quite caught on everywhere,” he said, noting that he moved from central New York State to Washington for his position and travels often. “There are a lot of things to consider with the jobs that are out there. You’ve just got to be willing to make some sacrifices to obtain the job you want.” Fresh Starts is a monthly column about emerging jobs and job trends. __________________________________________________________________ CSI 2007 is the only conference that delivers a business-focused overview of enterprise security. It will convene 1,500+ delegates, 80 exhibitors and features 100+ sessions/seminars providing a roadmap for integrating policies and procedures with new tools and techniques. 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