Digital Forensics vs. Cybersecurity: What Are the Differences?
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1 Jain, S. (2024, Feb. 8). 160 Cybersecurity Statistics 2024 [updated]. Astra. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
2 Cybersecurity Guide Contributors. (2024, April 11). From Classroom to Career: Digital Forensics Degrees Explained. Cybersecurity Guide. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
3 Coursera Staff. (2024, March 15). 15 Essential Skills for Cybersecurity Analysts in 2024. Coursera. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
4 Buckley, T. (2023, Oct. 5). How to Become a Computer Forensics Analyst. Cyber Degrees. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
5CISO MAG. (2021, Sept. 2). 5 High-paying Computer Forensics Jobs You Need to Know. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
6Rand, B. (2024, April 23). How to Become a Cybersecurity Specialist (with salary). Indeed. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
7Coursera Staff. (2024, April 3). 10 Cybersecurity Jobs: Entry-level and Beyond. Coursera. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
Approved by the assistant dean of the College of Engineering and Technology on Aug. 26, 2024.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
As of 2024, there are an estimated 2,200 cyberattacks every single day. That means that, on average, a cyberattack occurs about every 39 seconds. Furthermore, it’s been estimated that in 2024 alone, the global cost of cybercrime will be $9.5 trillion dollars.1
If those statistics caught your attention, then a career path dedicated to fighting cybercrime might interest you. You might consider two key specializations: digital forensics and cybersecurity. Both fields focus on information technology (IT) security but serve distinct roles. But what’s the difference between digital forensics vs. cybersecurity? And what is forensic analysis in cybersecurity, exactly?
In short, digital forensics focuses on analyzing and preserving evidence from cyber incidents for legal purposes. Cybersecurity aims to prevent, detect and respond to threats in real time, protecting systems and data from attacks. Let’s take a closer look.
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At Grand Canyon University, the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree program was developed with industry guidance to teach students how to detect, analyze and combat current and emerging cyber threats. Offered by the College of Engineering and Technology, the BS in Cybersecurity is intended to provide a solid foundation for a wide range of cybersecurity-related careers.
If you’re eager to pursue a career in digital forensics, you’ll need to develop strong technical competencies. Some of the most important competencies for this particular high-tech career include the following:2
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By this point, you may have an idea of whether you might prefer to pursue a career in digital forensics or in cybersecurity. Before making a decision, however, it’s worth taking the time to explore some of the specific career paths and the typical education requirements of each of these specialties.
If you’re interested in becoming a digital forensics professional, earning a bachelor’s degree is a good start. It’s ideal to earn a cybersecurity-specific bachelor’s degree or at least a general computer science degree. While in college, look for relevant internships or part-time jobs involving cyber forensics, as work experience is important for your career trajectory.4
It can also be helpful to earn one or more professional certifications. Some options in cyber forensics include the following:4
There are a few specific careers within the digital forensics niche that you might want to consider pursuing. These include:5
The job of a digital forensic professional, such as a malware analyst, can be exciting because you'll have the opportunity to investigate black hat hackers and other digital threats. However, if you have more of a proactive mindset, you may be more interested in reducing the risk of cybercrimes before they occur.
The career pathway for a cybersecurity expert is similar to that of a cyber forensic expert, as these two careers are closely related. For instance, you can start out by earning a bachelor's in cybersecurity. A bachelor’s degree in information technology or computer science would also work.6
Similar to digital forensics professionals, future cybersecurity specialists can also benefit from gaining work experience while in college.6 Look for relevant internships to help substantiate your resume and build a professional network.
After college, consider earning one or more professional certifications. Some options include the following:6
You might start out in one or more entry-level roles, such as information security analyst, information security specialist or risk analyst.7 After that, some examples of cybersecurity careers you might want to pursue include the following:6,7
What if you’re more interested in preventing cybercrime before it occurs? If you think you would like to become a cybersecurity professional, you may benefit from working on cultivating the following types of competencies:3
Cyber forensics and cybersecurity professionals both work with computers and on computer networks to combat cybercrime. However, these two specialties aren’t quite the same thing. So, what’s the difference between digital forensics vs. cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is often used as a catchall term to describe any system or effort used to fight cybercrime. However, it’s a bit more focused than that. By and large, cybersecurity professionals work to prevent cybercrime by improving the security of technology infrastructure.
For example, cybersecurity professionals are dedicated to improving the security of digital devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets and personal computers), networks and data. A cybersecurity professional can help keep everything from sensitive medical information to credit card numbers safe and secure from cybercriminals.
To do their job effectively, cybersecurity professionals may use any number of technology tools. These can include:
Whereas cybersecurity is concerned with preventing cybercrime before it occurs, digital forensics involves investigating a cybercrime after it has occurred. Cybersecurity is proactive and digital forensics is reactive. Both roles are important in combating cybercriminals' activities, however.
A digital forensics professional will likely work on a computer, other devices or networks that have been breached or suspected of having been breached. Their goal is to recover and investigate data found in the wake of an attack. The information that digital forensics professionals may uncover and analyze could prove instrumental in any criminal or civil court cases that might take place afterward. It can also help cybersecurity professionals learn how to better defend against continually evolving cyberattacks in the future.
A digital forensics professional may work on tech-related breaches involving the following:
To accomplish their mission, a cyber forensics professional can use tools and techniques such as the following:
