Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) Training
Scalable, modularized, hands-on training that equips U.S. federal and SLTT (state, local, tribal, and territorial) agencies to acquire, analyze, and report on digital evidence that stands up in court.
Built Around Your Mission, Not a Fixed Syllabus
APSI offers this Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) training for U.S. federal and SLTT planners and agencies.
The program is a fully customizable framework rather than a one-size-fits-all course. Content is tailored to your requirements, whether the focus is local crime, cyber threats, or national security, and it scales from first responders through advanced forensic analysts.
The curriculum follows a logical progression, so participants build a strong foundation before advancing to complex investigations. It balances theory, hands-on exercises, and legal considerations so that forensic evidence is legally admissible and operationally effective, from disk and memory forensics to network, cloud, and mobile device investigations.
Built for Federal and SLTT Investigators and Analysts
The program adapts to the experience level of your personnel, from first responders through advanced forensic analysts.
- Federal investigators and forensic analysts
- SLTT law enforcement and agency personnel
- DHS-recognized fusion centers
- Incident response and digital evidence teams
- Analysts working computer intrusions and cyber-enabled crime
- Fraud, financial, and terrorism case investigators
- First responders building forensic acquisition skills
A Structured Path From Foundations to Advanced Investigations
A sample five-day schedule anchors the program, backed by a comprehensive catalogue of standalone modules that can be combined to fit your team.
What Participants Gain
Every module is adaptable to agency-specific requirements, from first responders to advanced forensic analysts.
- Customization and relevance: content tailored to your agency mission and case load.
- Enhanced investigative capabilities: hands-on experience in forensic acquisition, analysis, and reporting.
- Adherence to legal and chain of custody standards so digital evidence is admissible in court.
- Cutting-edge techniques, including RAM analysis, cloud forensics, encryption handling, and file carving.
- Operational security best practices that protect examiner integrity and prevent evidence contamination.
- A logical progression from foundational concepts through advanced, specialized investigations.
Sample Five-Day Schedule
An illustrative five-day sequence, each day seven hours. Days, topics, and hands-on labs are adjusted to your team and objectives.
- Day 17 Hours
Introduction to Digital Forensics, Investigations, and Legal Issues
- Overview of Digital Forensics: forensic principles, forensic readiness, and challenges in cyber investigations.
- Digital Evidence and Legal Issues: evidence admissibility, seizure laws, chain of custody, and investigative requirements in criminal, civil, and corporate cases.
- Investigation Methodologies: differentiating criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, and legal considerations in handling intellectual property cases.
- Forensic Tools and Hardware Overview: commercial versus open-source forensic tools, industry standards, and forensic software validation.
Hands-on Lab: Chain of custody documentation and setting up a forensic workstation.
- Day 27 Hours
Forensic Science Fundamentals, Storage Media, and File Systems
- Fundamentals of Forensic Science: core forensic principles including Locard's Principle and the scientific method in forensics.
- Storage Media Analysis: HDDs, SSDs, RAID, and NAS, and forensic challenges related to emerging storage technologies.
- Boot Process and Operating System Internals: BIOS, UEFI, boot loaders, and swap files, and the forensic implications of different OS startup processes.
- File Systems and Data Storage: FAT, NTFS, EXT, and HFS+ file systems, and how files are structured, stored, and deleted.
Hands-on Lab: File system analysis, including forensic data recovery and hex analysis of file headers.
- Day 37 Hours
File and Operating System Forensics
- File System Forensics and Metadata Analysis: timeline analysis, hash analysis, file signatures, and deleted file recovery.
- Windows Forensic Artifacts: registry analysis, Volume Shadow Copies, Recycle Bin forensics, and event logs.
- Email and Web Forensics: analyzing browser history, cookies, cache, email headers, and phishing investigation techniques.
- Malware and Software Analysis: tracing application activity, understanding malware signatures, and identifying software remnants in forensic investigations.
Hands-on Lab: Recovering deleted files and reconstructing user activity on a Windows system.
- Day 47 Hours
Network Forensics, Anti-Forensics, and Malware Analysis
- Network Forensics Overview: TCP/IP fundamentals, logs, packet capture, and network intrusion analysis.
- Forensic Examination of Network Devices: firewalls, routers, proxies, and tracking logs for digital evidence.
- Anti-Forensics and Countermeasures: encryption, steganography, log manipulation, timestomping, and data hiding techniques.
- Forensic Malware Analysis: identifying malicious software, static and dynamic analysis of malware, and tracking attackers.
Hands-on Lab: Analyzing a network packet capture file (PCAP) and reconstructing attacker activity.
- Day 57 Hours
Emerging Technologies, Cloud Forensics, and Mobile Device Investigations
- Social Media and Cloud Forensics: collecting evidence from social networks, SaaS platforms, and cloud storage services.
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing Challenges: investigating virtual machines, cloud-hosted data, and forensic analysis in hybrid environments.
- Mobile Forensics Fundamentals: examining cell phones, GPS devices, SIM cards, and forensic acquisition techniques.
- Forensic Challenges in IoT and Emerging Technology: analyzing digital evidence in smart devices, control systems, and big data environments.
Hands-on Lab: Extracting forensic data from a mobile device and analyzing cloud-based forensic artifacts.
Nine Courses, Drawn From 65 Standalone Modules
The catalogue is organized as nine courses running from foundational to advanced. Each course can be delivered on its own, combined into a longer program, or integrated into training you already run. The modules listed under each course are representative, not the complete list.
Course 01
Fundamental Computer and Forensic Concepts
Sample modules
- Introduction to Digital Forensics
- Legal and Ethical Considerations in Forensics
- Understanding How Computers Work
- Hexadecimal and ASCII Analysis
- Basic Command Line for Forensics
Course 02
Storage and File Systems Forensics
Sample modules
- Disk Structures and Partitions (MBR versus GPT)
- File Systems Overview (NTFS, FAT32, ExFAT, HFS+, EXT)
- Deleted File Recovery Fundamentals
- Slack Space and Unallocated Space Analysis
- Solid-State Drive (SSD) Forensics
Course 03
Forensic Imaging and Data Acquisition
Sample modules
- Introduction to Forensic Imaging
- Live versus Dead Forensic Acquisition
- RAM Capture and Memory Forensics
- Write Blockers and Evidence Preservation
- Hashing and Data Integrity Verification
Course 04
Operating System and File Analysis
Sample modules
- Windows Forensics Fundamentals
- Registry Analysis and User Activity Tracking
- Windows Event Log Analysis
- Linux Forensics Fundamentals
- MacOS Forensics Fundamentals
Course 05
Internet and Cloud Forensics
Sample modules
- Browser Forensics and Web Artifacts
- Email Forensics and Header Analysis
- Cloud Storage and SaaS Investigations
- Social Media Forensics
- Investigating Messaging Apps
Course 06
Network and Malware Forensics
Sample modules
- Introduction to Network Forensics
- TCP/IP and Network Traffic Analysis
- Analyzing Router and Firewall Logs
- Deep Packet Inspection and Intrusion Detection
- Advanced Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering
Course 07
Anti-Forensics, Encryption, and Data Hiding
Sample modules
- Understanding Anti-Forensic Techniques
- Encryption and Decryption in Forensics
- Steganography Detection and Analysis
- Timestomping and Log Manipulation
Course 08
Mobile and Emerging Technology Forensics
Sample modules
- Mobile Forensics Fundamentals (iOS and Android)
- Mobile Device File System Analysis
- GPS and Geolocation Tracking
- Internet of Things (IoT) Forensics
- Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Forensics
Course 09
Advanced and Specialized Topics
Sample modules
- Live Incident Response and Volatile Data Collection
- Advanced File Carving Techniques
- Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Forensics
- Ransomware Investigation and Response
- Case Documentation and Reporting Best Practices
This catalogue is extensive and fully customizable. If you have a requirement that is not listed, we will work with you to build it into your program.
Bring DFIR training to your team.
Book a consultation to tailor the schedule and modules to your mission, or call APSI directly. Every engagement is confirmed in writing.