Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Ethical hacker to digital forensics expert

An ethical hacker already meets 49% of what the digital forensics expert role asks for. The move turns on 21 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From ethical hacker
49 % overlap
Partial match
To digital forensics expert
39 You already bring
21 Still to learn
77 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Substantial retraining

65.7/ 100

1 How much of what a digital forensics expert is expected to do is already part of an ethical hacker’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the digital forensics expert role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A digital forensics expert role treats 19 of its required skills as things an ethical hacker already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • ICT infrastructure
  • ICT network security risks
  • ICT security legislation
  • ICT security standards
  • attack vectors
  • computer forensics

What stands in the way is 21 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 39 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A digital forensics expert role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an ethical hacker background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held Aircrack (penetration testing tool) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Backbox (penetration testing tool) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held BlackArch information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Cain and Abel (penetration testing tool) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held John The Ripper (penetration testing tool) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Kali Linux information and communication technologies (icts)

All 39 carried skills, including the 19 the digital forensics expert role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 38 missing skills fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 working with computers 5 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn perform forensic preservations of digital devices required
  • still to learn apply reverse engineering required
  • still to learn digital data processing required
  • still to learn implement ICT network diagnostic tools required
  • still to learn use software for data preservation required
  • optional, not held analyse network configuration and performance optional
  • optional, not held perform data mining optional
02 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn provide ICT consulting advice required
  • still to learn educate on data confidentiality required
  • still to learn present evidence required
  • optional, not held design computer network optional
  • optional, not held use different communication channels optional
03 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 required, 11 supplementary
  • still to learn query languages required
  • still to learn resource description framework query language required
  • optional, not held LDAP optional
  • optional, not held LINQ optional
  • optional, not held MDX optional
  • optional, not held N1QL optional
  • optional, not held SPARQL optional
  • optional, not held THC Hydra optional
  • optional, not held XQuery optional
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held data storage optional
  • optional, not held hardware platforms optional
  • optional, not held information architecture optional
04 information skills 2 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn gather data for forensic purposes required
  • still to learn manage data for legal matters required
  • optional, not held collect cyber defence data optional
05 assisting and caring 2 required
  • still to learn develop information security strategy required
  • still to learn secure sensitive customer's information required
06 business, administration and law 2 required
  • still to learn GDPR required
  • still to learn audit techniques required

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a digital forensics expert role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 39 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held ICT infrastructure knowledge
  • already held ICT network security risks knowledge
  • already held ICT security legislation knowledge
  • already held ICT security standards knowledge
  • already held attack vectors knowledge
  • already held computer forensics knowledge
  • already held cyber attack counter-measures knowledge
  • already held cyber security knowledge
  • already held identify ICT security risks skill
  • already held identify ICT system weaknesses skill
  • already held information confidentiality knowledge
  • already held levels of software testing knowledge
  • already held manage IT security compliances skill
  • already held operating systems knowledge
  • already held penetration testing tool knowledge
  • already held perform ICT security testing skill
  • already held security engineering knowledge
  • already held tools for ICT test automation knowledge
  • already held use scripting programming skill
  • already held Aircrack (penetration testing tool) knowledge
  • already held Backbox (penetration testing tool) knowledge
  • already held BlackArch knowledge
  • already held Cain and Abel (penetration testing tool) knowledge
  • already held ICT encryption knowledge
  • already held John The Ripper (penetration testing tool) knowledge
  • already held Kali Linux knowledge
  • already held Maltego knowledge
  • already held Metasploit knowledge
  • already held Nessus knowledge
  • already held Nexpose knowledge
  • already held OWASP ZAP knowledge
  • already held Parrot Security OS knowledge
  • already held Samurai Web Testing Framework knowledge
  • already held WhiteHat Sentinel knowledge
  • already held Wireshark knowledge
  • already held implement ICT security policies skill
  • already held information security strategy knowledge
  • already held legal requirements of ICT products knowledge
  • already held manage cloud data and storage skill
The 5 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 services 2 required
  • still to learn forensic intelligence required
  • still to learn security threats required
08 management skills 1 required
  • still to learn establish an ICT security prevention plan required
09 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required
  • still to learn check methods required
10 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required
  • still to learn use technology for forensics required
11 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held hardware architectures optional
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held LDAP optional
  • optional, not held LINQ optional
  • optional, not held MDX optional
  • optional, not held N1QL optional
  • optional, not held SPARQL optional
  • optional, not held THC Hydra optional
  • optional, not held XQuery optional
  • optional, not held analyse network configuration and performance optional
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held collect cyber defence data optional
  • optional, not held data storage optional
  • optional, not held design computer network optional
  • optional, not held hardware architectures optional
  • optional, not held hardware platforms optional
  • optional, not held information architecture optional
  • optional, not held perform data mining optional
  • optional, not held use different communication channels optional
35 held skills the digital forensics expert role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role ICT safety skill
  • not needed by the target role ICT system integration knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Internet of Things knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Open source model knowledge
  • not needed by the target role Outsourcing model knowledge
  • not needed by the target role address problems critically skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse the context of an organisation skill
  • not needed by the target role building systems monitoring technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role communicate with stakeholders skill
  • not needed by the target role computer programming knowledge
  • not needed by the target role conduct ICT code review skill
  • not needed by the target role define security policies skill
  • not needed by the target role develop code exploits skill
  • not needed by the target role engage with stakeholders skill
  • not needed by the target role ethical hacking principles knowledge
  • not needed by the target role ethics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role execute ICT audits skill
  • not needed by the target role execute social engineering tests skill
  • not needed by the target role execute software tests skill
  • not needed by the target role hybrid model knowledge
  • not needed by the target role implement ICT risk management skill
  • not needed by the target role implement a firewall skill
  • not needed by the target role internet governance knowledge
  • not needed by the target role maintain ICT server skill
  • not needed by the target role manage system security skill
  • not needed by the target role monitor system performance skill
  • not needed by the target role organisational resilience knowledge
  • not needed by the target role perform project management skill
  • not needed by the target role proxy servers knowledge
  • not needed by the target role remove computer virus or malware from a computer skill
  • not needed by the target role service-oriented modelling knowledge
  • not needed by the target role set up cybersecurity training programmes skill
  • not needed by the target role software anomalies knowledge
  • not needed by the target role solve ICT system problems skill
  • not needed by the target role web application security threats knowledge
19 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn GDPR required
  • still to learn query languages required
  • still to learn resource description framework query language required
  • still to learn audit techniques required
  • still to learn check methods required
  • still to learn forensic intelligence required
  • still to learn security threats required
  • optional, not held LDAP optional
  • optional, not held LINQ optional
  • optional, not held MDX optional
  • optional, not held N1QL optional
  • optional, not held SPARQL optional
  • optional, not held THC Hydra optional
  • optional, not held XQuery optional
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held data storage optional
  • optional, not held hardware architectures optional
  • optional, not held hardware platforms optional
  • optional, not held information architecture optional
Index

Other moves recorded from ethical hacker

Full index of moves from ethical hacker

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can an ethical hacker become a digital forensics expert?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. An ethical hacker already covers 49% of what a digital forensics expert is expected to do: 39 skills carry over, 19 of which the digital forensics expert role treats as required.

What skills does an ethical hacker need to become a digital forensics expert?

21 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with computers. The single most important is establish an ICT security prevention plan.

How hard is the move from ethical hacker to digital forensics expert?

Its learning distance is 65.7 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.