Computer Forensics market ireland?

Swindon

Anyone here know what the current market in computer forensics is like in ireland?,i would think its a bit slow at the moment but going to pick up gradually over the next few years,does anyone currently work in this area or are the jobs based mostly in the uk...was thinking of doing a masters in CF but unsure of the job prospects after it..anyone any info?

Swindon

hmmm anyone even doing the comp forensics courses here,opinions?

Sully

Workforce is pretty quiet compared to the UK. The Guards and Banks might take on forensic people, but im not to sure. Id say its growing anyway.

Im doing forensics through my computing course, but those who started it this year wouldnt be on this forum. I dont think they have formed much of an opinion as it only started for them..

dlofnep

Forensics wouldn't be the only area you could work in - network administration and network security, pen-testing and such would be other areas you should be able to get a job (depending on how intense the course is).

The course itself looks very interesting. I might do it after my multimedia degree if I'm not going to do my masters.

Swindon

dlofnep wrote: »

Forensics wouldn't be the only area you could work in - network administration and network security, pen-testing and such would be other areas you should be able to get a job (depending on how intense the course is).

The course itself looks very interesting. I might do it after my multimedia degree if I'm not going to do my masters.

do they offer a work placement?

dlofnep

Not sure to be honest - we have work placement in our multimedia degree.. but you'd have to e-mail the head of the forensics course to find out if they offer work placement. Although tbh, I e-mailed him and never received a response - so maybe give him a call.

Swindon

dlofnep wrote: »

Not sure to be honest - we have work placement in our multimedia degree.. but you'd have to e-mail the head of the forensics course to find out if they offer work placement. Although tbh, I e-mailed him and never received a response - so maybe give him a call.

haha me too,no response...

Sully

Whats the email address your using lads?

dlofnep

Sully wrote: »

Whats the email address your using lads?

ill message you it

Sully

dlofnep wrote: »

ill message you it

I was wondering what that PM was about

I meant the email address of the head of the course, not your own.

dlofnep

Oh, haha! I was wondering why you might want it. For forensics? It's:

For further information

Course Leader: John Sheppard
Ph: 051 302037. Email: computinginfo@wit.ie.

Sully

Try:-
jsheppard@wit.ie. That is checked - try adding a "Read Receipt" so you know if he reads it or not. Also, best tell him you (and others) have sent emails to the original address but got no response.

Id imagine that the computinginfo is a mailbox that simply isnt checked.

If that fails, come back to me and ill see what I can do.

dlofnep

I originally sent it to the jsheppard one - but the computinginfo one is the current one on the website.

Sully

The WIT website, I wouldnt call reliable. Maybe the front page is, but beyond that isnt really much to look at.

When you emailed that address, id imagine it was over the holiday period? Iv found that some lecturers wont get back to you, even after the holiday period. Re-send it. If you get nothing, ill speak to him myself and ask he respond if possible.

dlofnep

Sully, to be honest - this was at the start of the year when I had my sights set on transferring.. Now that I'm just through my semester, it makes more sense for me to finish off my degree. Afterwards I'm not entirely sure what to do however..

1) I can continue for my masters and such so I can lecture.
2) I can go into the software industry and see what I can make of myself.
3) I can go into forensics for another 3 years and see where it takes me.

At the moment I'm very unsure, but lecturing seems like a safe career.

Sully

You might be able to transfer from your course, if you so wish. Not to sure though.

Hows your course coming along so far?

Swindon

dlofnep wrote: »

Sully, to be honest - this was at the start of the year when I had my sights set on transferring.. Now that I'm just through my semester, it makes more sense for me to finish off my degree. Afterwards I'm not entirely sure what to do however..

1) I can continue for my masters and such so I can lecture.
2) I can go into the software industry and see what I can make of myself.
3) I can go into forensics for another 3 years and see where it takes me.

At the moment I'm very unsure, but lecturing seems like a safe career.

where could you go into forensics and why would it be 3 years,are you currently in 1st year of your degree course?,by the way i got a reply yesterday from jsheppard@wit.ie...

dlofnep

Sully wrote: »

You might be able to transfer from your course, if you so wish. Not to sure though.

Hows your course coming along so far?

Course is fine - I'm strong at programming and anything IT related. I already have an MCP in network administration and I've been tinkering with a barrage of various O/S's (linux, bsd, beos, etc..) over the years, along with pen-testing networks - so technically, I think I'd be more than capable of handling the Forensics course.

I'm currently in 2nd year and I felt that because Forensics is so unlike any other IT course, it would probably be preferable to start in first year. It's not that I would mind starting back in first year in forensics - it's that I'm unsure about what I want career-wise with my life.

If I stick with multimedia, I can do my masters and hopefully lecture - which is good pay, a stable job and long holidays. Although I'm sure it has it's downsides and busy periods, I'm constantly helping people in programming class - so I think I would be good at it. I'm sure anyone of my classmates would agree that I am very helpful with programming and always ready to lend someone a helping hand.

Then on the other-side - computer forensics and computer security in general is a really interesting topic and I've always hacked away (not in a cracking sense but in it's truer sense) on my own spare time as a hobby. I read out of my own free choice and I think it would be a job that I could be not only good at, but hold an interest in.

So as you can see, I'm really boggled for what I want to do with my career. And I need to make my mind up soon. I think in either case, it may be more worthwhile to complete my degree in Multimedia so at least I'll have that to fall back on.

Still unsure, heh.

AdMMM

WIT have already been approached by employers regarding Computer Forensics graduates. Those who graduate from the first year of this course (in 2011) will be the first of their kind to complete a dedicated computer forensics degree.

Graduates should find themselves being well able to find a job.

Sully

|.Murderer.| wrote: »

WIT have already been approached by employers regarding Computer Forensics graduates. Those who graduate from the first year of this course (in 2011) will be the first of their kind to complete a dedicated computer forensics degree.

Graduates should find themselves being well able to find a job.

I think it applies to those taking that stream in the Applied Computing course also..

Swindon

|.Murderer.| wrote: »

WIT have already been approached by employers regarding Computer Forensics graduates. Those who graduate from the first year of this course (in 2011) will be the first of their kind to complete a dedicated computer forensics degree.

Graduates should find themselves being well able to find a job.

Approached by which companies do u know?

Swindon

Approached by which companies do u know?

Tom2006

Hi All

I just wanted to add a couple of things to this thread. I did an MSc in Information Security and Computer Crime in Glamorgan, South Wales back in 2003/2004. It was a one year course that really helped me get into the Computer Forensics field. Unfortunately in Ireland the CF industry is v slow on the uptake...I looked at the Gardai and the computer crime unit there, however you would have to join the Gardai and be based in some small station in the middle of nowhere for several years and that's after the couple years training in templemore..so it would be at least 5 years...I decided that was a no go area!

I am working as a Computer Forensic Investigator in the UK since 2005 and I have gained a lot of experience with the variety of cases from police, solicitors and being called to give evidence. I would definitely recommend the Glamorgan course to get into the CF industry. ( I am not sure what the course material is like in WIT but it is definitely encouraging that it and the MSc in DCU are available now).

Have any of you completed any FTK or EnCase courses?

Sully

Hi Tom,
Most people posting here are coming from a secondary school background into college, so really wouldnt have much courses (maybe basic IT ones, if any) under their belt!

Anyway, the course you refer to - what exactly is covered? Iv done part of the CF course in WIT (continuing next year) as part of a stream in the Applied Computing Course. This is the first year for CF students in a course that goes on 4 years, but I believe we cover a lot of the same stuff anyway!

Tom2006

Hi Sully

The modules that are covered in the MSc are: Project Management and Research Methodologies, Computer Law, Computer Forensics, Network Security, Security Management, Cryptography and Electronic Commerce. Each student has to complete a thesis based on one of the modules. What kind of material is covered in WIT?

Cheers
Tom

Sully

In my semester there we touched on Cryptography and Forensics. There was some other stuff, let me check what and ill get back to you. I believe its more expanded next year.

I know the first years of the dedicated course have mainly done history so far.