IT Training Courses

redrabbit29

redrabbit29

redrabbit29

Associate
Joined
8 May 2009
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296
I work in a digital forensics role and looking to do some extra courses, mainly to improve my knowledge and skills.

I'm really open to different topic matters, so still browsing just to get an idea. I have looked mainly at Firebrand as they seem to offer a good range of different courses.

Does anyone know what these courses are like and how valuable they are:

- Comptia Security+
- CISMP

I've an interest in ethical hacking but we already have agreements with other providers in this respect.

Budget is around £3000 roughly, and most interested in Security/some networking/IT management kind of stuff.

Thanks in advance,
Redrabbit
 
Big budget for learning something you could learn on your own.

There's more knowledge floating around than there will ever be on any course in any subject on this planet.

The main thing you gain going on a course is a certificate and time management. When I was younger I did NVQs and I also did a uni course on ethical hacking but I never paid for it.

A lot of people in here pass final exams by studying themselves and just going in for the end test.
 
mrbell1984 said:
Big budget for learning something you could learn on your own.
...

The main thing you gain going on a course is a certificate and time management. When I was younger I did NVQs and I also did a uni course on ethical hacking but I never paid for it.
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That's what I would like though. I could learn all this on my own but that's easier said than done, and generally it's so easy to get distracted or learn bits and move on (I realise that's my own downfall).

But with a course, you have a schedule, you end up with a qualification or certificate which in turn can make you a better candidate for jobs. So there are benefits.

The budget I mentioned is funded by the company so it's not too much of an issue for me personally.
 
safaribooksonline.com

£3000 is nothing to spend on IT courses, you would be better off doing the online training with Safari Books and getting some kit to practice on. The rest of the budget could go on exam fee's at £100+ per exam.
 
Lots of different companys off bundles and packages but i think if you are doing any of the comp tia stuff most of it is on youtube so save some money and self teach
 
Hmm.... I can't see what your background is , have you ever done any expert witness training e.g. Bond Solon?

What about attending conferences?

Reading journals http://www.journals.elsevier.com/digital-investigation
You can read them at large libraries, online, make contact with national courses and ask for their reading lists and read those.

Can you come up with a novel security solution? Write articles, make a website?

Have you studied it at Uni, done a Masters?

Is this paid work and what are you trying to achieve? Can a Pro advise you? Act as a mentor?

Are you familiar with all the forensic tools which are used on cards, drives, images, phones, etc........

Statistics?
 
jpod said:
Hmm.... I can't see what your background is , have you ever done any expert witness training e.g. Bond Solon?

What about attending conferences?

Reading journals http://www.journals.elsevier.com/digital-investigation
You can read them at large libraries, online, make contact with national courses and ask for their reading lists and read those.

Can you come up with a novel security solution? Write articles, make a website?

Have you studied it at Uni, done a Masters?

Is this paid work and what are you trying to achieve? Can a Pro advise you? Act as a mentor?

Are you familiar with all the forensic tools which are used on cards, drives, images, phones, etc........

Statistics?
Click to expand...


Background - was a web developer quite a while back for 3 years doing PHP/MySQL mainly
I have some decent Linux experience
I'm starting to learn Python which is going quite well - this is just for a bit of fun and not needed for work.

My job is in digital forensics so I use Encase, IEF, Cellebrite, doing forensic examinations on devices, completing reports, etc... I also deal in some cases with companies that have been hacked, or being DDoS'd for example.

I haven't done a masters, only a HND.

There's a possibility that my company will pay for me to do a MSc in Digital Forensics, which could be good considering I don't even have a degree, so could be quite valuable.

What am I trying to achieve - just to increase my own knowledge, become more confident in other areas of IT and gain qualifications - this is why I am quite open to suggestions.

...

I'm thinking long term so I appreciate some saying "self teach", but if I ever do go for other jobs in the future, it's unfortunately teh case that businesses look for certifications, qualifications rather than "I've self taught myself all this stuff..." - sad but true.
 
redrabbit29 said:
I'm thinking long term so I appreciate some saying "self teach", but if I ever do go for other jobs in the future, it's unfortunately teh case that businesses look for certifications, qualifications rather than "I've self taught myself all this stuff..." - sad but true.
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I think you've misunderstood the replies then, you can still sit exams for a lot of things without paying some third party training company to spoon feed you.
 
Okay a quick research reveals there are dig tech forensic forums so asking their advice is a good idea.
http://www.forensicfocus.com/Forums/viewforum/f=1/

There are vids of for example encase on youtube, some have 175,000 so making a channel and posting your top tips weekly would be a good project, you have web skills so making a forum would be a breeze with free software out there. That would look good on a cv.

If you plan to give evidence in court based on your report work formal expert witness training would be a good idea. This is exceptionally good training, lets just say they know how to charge http://www.bondsolon.com/expert-witness.aspx

Studying formally sounds a good idea, you need a senior mentor or two to help you determine which is the right one for your future, not just in your companies best interest, there are lots http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2016/13055/ you can also contact them and ask for their reading list and - you guessed it - read it!

Like Sir Dowie said to increase your knowledge you can do a lot that the spoonfeeders are not doing and if you record it dilligently it is impressive. There are lots of online researches, journals, text books (secondhand amazon, ebay) youtube, to read and document as part of your ongoing CPD. Keep an excel spread sheet with your CPD on:

Date / resource / topic / time / verifiable or private study / organiser/self / location
Like that, google docs is good cos you can update it. This could be inhouse training - document it for your ever increasing cv.

What about the Chartered Insitute for IT? Can you join?

Naturally formal qualifications are necessary to qualify your opinion within reports. But your cv and x years of experience in x also helps.

I just finished a Diploma in Forensic Medicine. The government has cut back on forensics, there is more inhouse Police science labs, and private companies. In the ever changing IT field - what are the top 10 things that law enforcement are looking for? Do you know? Is it possible to be specialist in some wierd difficult thing that only you and a few others can do? Like recover a fire damaged HDD or mob phone data (I have no idea if this is true I just made it up). One thing for sure IT is not going away and it will encompas everything forever.

I think that you need to look carefully at how you will earn a living from this at aged 30, 40 50 60? Are you going to be an employee or a business owner.

Whilst it sounds exciting but are folk are doing forensic science at UCLAN etc actually aware if there are any highly paid jobs out there once they get their certificate? I wonder!

You need a background in the scientific method and statistics.

You can register as an Expert Witness (UK register of EWs).

A formal course, degree, MSc sound good but you need a someone who knows their stuff to advise you, and advise you impartially.

Ask your current employee to set you tasks and projects.

Over to you.
 
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redrabbit29 said:
My job is in digital forensics so I use Encase, IEF, Cellebrite, doing forensic examinations on devices, completing reports, etc... I also deal in some cases with companies that have been hacked, or being DDoS'd for example.

I haven't done a masters, only a HND.

There's a possibility that my company will pay for me to do a MSc in Digital Forensics, which could be good considering I don't even have a degree, so could be quite valuable.
Click to expand...

I did an MSc in Computer Forensics a few years ago out of interest but decided to work in security.
 
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