Certified Forensic Analyst (CFA) equips cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and practical skills to analyze digital evidence, investigate cyber incidents, conduct forensic examinations, and prepare for the CFA certification.
Duration 5 Days – 35 hrs.
Overview
The Certified Forensic Analyst (CFA) Training Course is designed to provide cybersecurity professionals, forensic investigators, incident responders, and security analysts with advanced skills in digital forensic analysis, cybercrime investigations, evidence examination, and forensic reporting. The course focuses on analyzing digital evidence collected from computer systems, networks, mobile devices, cloud environments, and security incidents to identify malicious activities, determine root causes, and support legal or organizational investigations.
Participants will gain hands-on experience using forensic methodologies, investigation techniques, and forensic tools to analyze cyber incidents while maintaining evidence integrity and adhering to industry and legal standards.
Objectives
- Understand advanced digital forensic analysis methodologies.
- Analyze digital evidence from computers, networks, cloud platforms, and mobile devices.
- Conduct forensic investigations related to cybercrime and security incidents.
- Identify indicators of compromise (IOCs) and attacker activities.
- Perform timeline and event reconstruction.
- Investigate malware-related incidents and cyberattacks.
- Analyze volatile and non-volatile forensic artifacts.
- Prepare comprehensive forensic reports and findings.
- Maintain evidence integrity and chain of custody requirements.
- Prepare for professional forensic analyst certification examinations.
Target Audience
- Digital Forensic Analysts
- Cybersecurity Analysts
- Incident Response Team Members
- SOC Analysts
- Threat Hunters
- Malware Analysts
- Cybercrime Investigators
- Information Security Professionals
- Internal Auditors
- Law Enforcement Personnel
Prerequisites
- Basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts
- Knowledge of computer operating systems
- Familiarity with networking fundamentals
- Understanding of security incidents and investigations
- Experience in IT, cybersecurity, or security operations is recommended
Course Outline
Day 1: Digital Forensics and Investigation Foundations
Module 1: Digital Forensic Analysis Fundamentals
- Introduction to forensic analysis
- Types of digital investigations
- Digital evidence categories
- Forensic analyst responsibilities
- Investigation methodologies
Module 2: Legal and Regulatory Considerations
- Rules of evidence
- Chain of custody
- Evidence admissibility
- Compliance requirements
- Ethical considerations
Module 3: Investigation Planning
- Case preparation
- Evidence identification
- Evidence preservation
- Investigation scoping
- Documentation procedures
Hands-On Lab
- Investigation planning exercise
- Chain of custody documentation
- Evidence classification workshop
Day 2: Computer and Storage Forensic Analysis
Module 4: File System and Storage Analysis
- FAT/FAT32 analysis
- NTFS forensic artifacts
- Linux file systems
- macOS file systems
- Storage media examination
Module 5: Operating System Forensics
- Windows forensic artifacts
- Event log analysis
- Registry examination
- User activity tracking
- Persistence mechanisms
Module 6: Data Recovery and Artifact Analysis
- Deleted file recovery
- Data carving techniques
- Metadata analysis
- Hidden data discovery
- Timeline generation
Hands-On Lab
- Registry investigation
- File recovery exercises
- Timeline reconstruction
Day 3: Network and Memory Forensics
Module 7: Network Forensic Analysis
- Network traffic investigation
- Packet capture analysis
- Firewall and IDS logs
- DNS investigations
- Email forensic analysis
Module 8: Memory Forensics
- Memory acquisition
- Volatile evidence collection
- Process analysis
- Malware detection
- Memory artifact investigation
Module 9: Threat and Attack Analysis
- Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
- Indicators of Attack (IOAs)
- Attack chain reconstruction
- Threat actor behavior analysis
Hands-On Lab
- Packet capture investigation
- Memory analysis exercise
- IOC identification workshop
Day 4: Advanced Forensic Investigations
Module 10: Mobile Device Forensics
- Android forensic analysis
- iOS forensic analysis
- Mobile application investigations
- Mobile evidence extraction
- Mobile artifact analysis
Module 11: Cloud Forensics
- Cloud forensic concepts
- Cloud evidence acquisition
- SaaS investigations
- Cloud log analysis
- Cloud incident investigations
Module 12: Malware and Incident Forensics
- Malware investigation techniques
- Ransomware analysis
- Data breach investigations
- Insider threat investigations
- Incident reconstruction
Hands-On Lab
- Mobile forensic investigation
- Cloud log analysis
- Malware investigation scenario
Day 5: Reporting, Presentation, and Case Management
Module 13: Forensic Reporting
- Technical report preparation
- Executive summaries
- Evidence presentation
- Findings documentation
- Reporting standards
Module 14: Case Management and Evidence Handling
- Case lifecycle management
- Evidence tracking
- Investigation documentation
- Quality assurance processes
Module 15: Advanced Case Study and Certification Preparation
- End-to-end forensic investigation
- Comprehensive case analysis
- Certification exam preparation
- Practice assessments
- Lessons learned review
Hands-On Lab
- Full forensic investigation case
- Evidence analysis and reporting
- Final case presentation
Hands-On Labs and Practical Exercises
Throughout the course, participants will perform:
- Digital Evidence Analysis
- Registry and Log Investigation
- Timeline Reconstruction
- File Recovery and Data Carving
- Network Packet Analysis
- Memory Forensics Investigation
- Threat Hunting Activities
- Malware Investigation Exercises
- Mobile Device Analysis
- Cloud Forensic Investigation
- Incident Reconstruction
- Forensic Reporting Workshops
- End-to-End Investigation Case Study
