Symbiotic Practical Education in Digital Forensics: New Case Study

• In Event: Advancing Cybersecurity Education: Balancing AI Innovation, Digital Forensics, and OSINT

Abstract

As digital devices increasingly proliferate various aspects of life, police agencies and prosecuting attorney offices are facing increasing demands for digital evidence processing and analysis. Institutions of higher education have been attempting to meet this need by educating the next generation of digital investigators, but there has been a historical lack of real-world experience through digital forensic internships. The Indiana State House enacted legislation in 2021, allowing the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council to establish ten regionally situated high-tech crimes units (HTCUs) to assist prosecuting attorneys in investigating, collecting evidence, and prosecuting high tech crimes. While all are associated with institutions of higher education, few utilize student interns. This case study evaluates the goals of one such HTCUs: increasing the efficiency of digital evidence processing and analysis and providing the students with applied digital forensics experience as sworn investigators for their jurisdiction. Evaluation metrics for this analysis include data on the number of cases processed and closed by the unit, employment outcomes of graduates from the program, and qualitative interviews with students.

Authors

• Cassandra Dodge, Indiana State University

• Jason James, Indiana State University