Digital Forensics Essentials
4h 17mIntermediate2026-03-20
Authors
Starweaver
Course details
Description
What is this course about?
Are you ready to uncover the truth hidden in digital evidence? Digital forensics isn’t just for law enforcement agents—it applies to anyone who wants to understand how to investigate cyber incidents, recover deleted files, trace unauthorized activity, or ensure the integrity of digital systems. And in a world where almost every crime has a digital footprint, knowing how to collect and analyze that evidence is essential. In this course, explore the essentials of the fast-growing field of digital forensics. Whether you’re looking to pursue a career in cybersecurity, protect your organization from insider threats, or simply understand how digital investigations work, this course demystifies the process of digital investigation and gives you the confidence you need to analyze data, use forensic tools, and build defensible reports. By the end of this course, you’ll also be prepared to create and maintain file systems, conduct memory analysis, and manage data acquisition.
Instructor
Who teaches this course?
Starweaver is a platform designed to empower individuals and organizations with skills for a rapidly transforming world. Starweaver provides focused, in-demand content covering key subject domains, industry-leading certifications, and continuing learning and development.
Objectives
What will I be able to do by the end of this course?
Analyze and explain the role and scope of digital forensics in cybersecurity.
Apply industry-standard procedures to collect and preserve digital evidence using forensic tools.
Perform detailed forensic analysis on digital media, interpreting file systems and metadata.
Construct defensible reports that document findings and maintain chain of custody integrity.
Develop timelines and correlate digital data to reconstruct cyber events with precision.
Audience
Who is this course for?
IT professionals transitioning into cybersecurity roles
Computer science and engineering students
Law enforcement and legal professionals interested in digital evidence
Cybersecurity specialists and consultants
Individuals curious about cybercrime investigation dynamics
Prerequisites
What do I need to know before taking this course?
Basic understanding of computer operations and networking
Familiarity with standard IT terminology
No prior forensic experience required
What is this course about?
Are you ready to uncover the truth hidden in digital evidence? Digital forensics isn’t just for law enforcement agents—it applies to anyone who wants to understand how to investigate cyber incidents, recover deleted files, trace unauthorized activity, or ensure the integrity of digital systems. And in a world where almost every crime has a digital footprint, knowing how to collect and analyze that evidence is essential. In this course, explore the essentials of the fast-growing field of digital forensics. Whether you’re looking to pursue a career in cybersecurity, protect your organization from insider threats, or simply understand how digital investigations work, this course demystifies the process of digital investigation and gives you the confidence you need to analyze data, use forensic tools, and build defensible reports. By the end of this course, you’ll also be prepared to create and maintain file systems, conduct memory analysis, and manage data acquisition.
Instructor
Who teaches this course?
Starweaver is a platform designed to empower individuals and organizations with skills for a rapidly transforming world. Starweaver provides focused, in-demand content covering key subject domains, industry-leading certifications, and continuing learning and development.
Objectives
What will I be able to do by the end of this course?
Analyze and explain the role and scope of digital forensics in cybersecurity.
Apply industry-standard procedures to collect and preserve digital evidence using forensic tools.
Perform detailed forensic analysis on digital media, interpreting file systems and metadata.
Construct defensible reports that document findings and maintain chain of custody integrity.
Develop timelines and correlate digital data to reconstruct cyber events with precision.
Audience
Who is this course for?
IT professionals transitioning into cybersecurity roles
Computer science and engineering students
Law enforcement and legal professionals interested in digital evidence
Cybersecurity specialists and consultants
Individuals curious about cybercrime investigation dynamics
Prerequisites
What do I need to know before taking this course?
Basic understanding of computer operations and networking
Familiarity with standard IT terminology
No prior forensic experience required
Concepts
Introduction
- Welcome
- Module introduction
- What is digital forensics
- The forensic process
- Types of digital evidence
Scope of Digital Forensics in Cybersecurity
- Where digital forensics fits in the cybersecurity lifecycle
- Real-world use cases - Insider threats
- Potential sources of evidence
Legal, Ethical, and Professional Considerations
- Chain of custody and admissibility in court
- Privacy consent and ethical boundaries
- Regional and international laws impacting digital evidence
The Evidence Acquisition Process
- Module introduction
- Types of acquisition and image formats
- Precautions during evidence handling
- Write blockers and imaging best practices
Using Forensic Tools for Disk Imaging
- Disk imaging with FTK Imager and Analysis in Autopsy
- Bit-by-bit imaging using DD (Linux CLI)
- Hashing for integrity (MD5 - SHA1 - SHA256)
Preserving Evidence and Chain of Custody
- Maintaining forensic soundness
- Chain of custody concept and importance
- Labelling and evidence bagging procedures
Analyzing File Systems and Metadata
- Module introduction
- Understanding NTFS, FAT32, and EXT file systems
- Metadata - MAC times modified, accessed, and created
- Recovering hidden, deleted, or orphaned files
Investigating User Activity and System Artifacts
- Analyzing browser history and cookies
- Prefetch files and registry analysis (Windows)
- Tracking document access and USB device usage
- Interpreting log files (Windows Event Logs Syslog)
Timeline Creation and Evidence Correlation
- Timeline creation using Autopsy
- Correlating data across artifacts and sources
- Interpreting anomalies and suspicious gaps
Structure and Components of a Forensic Report
- Module introduction
- Purpose and structure of a forensic report
- Required sections - Executive summary, methodology, findings, and conclusions
- Writing for non-technical audiences
- Common mistakes to avoid - Bias, jargon, and vague language
Documenting Evidence and Chain of Custody
- Evidence storage and management in a cloud environment
- Completing and preserving chain of custody forms
- Anti-forensic techniques and mitigation strategies
- Screenshots and supporting visual evidence
Finalizing and Presenting Your Forensic Report
- Writing clear conclusions based on evidence
- Case review and criticism
- Ethics and responsibility in reporting
- Course wrap-up