CFCE — IACIS Certified Forensic Computer Examiner
IACIS's flagship credential and the only digital forensics certification accredited by the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board (FSAB) — placing it in the same accreditation tier as traditional forensic science disciplines. Founded in 1990, IACIS originally served law enforcement exclusively; the catalog opened to private-sector examiners in 2013. The CFCE uses a unique two-phase model: a mentored peer review phase (4 scenario problems with a volunteer CFCE-certified coach over 4 months) followed by a 30-day independent hard-drive practical and a 100-question written exam. Both phases require 80% to pass. The vendor-neutral format allows any tool including open-source. Core competencies cover Windows artifacts, file systems, partition schemes, data recovery, pre-examination procedures, and presentation of findings. Highly respected in US federal and municipal LE (FBI, Secret Service, HSI, Army CID, NCIS) and internationally through IACIS's EMEA reach. Not on DoD 8140 — examiners filling DCWF billets must supplement with GCFA or CHFI. The peer-review model makes CFCE arguably the most Daubert-defensible digital forensics credential available for courtroom testimony.
| Issuer | IACIS |
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| Level | intermediate |
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| Domains | Digital Forensics & Incident Response |
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| Practical weight | 70% |
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| Cost (USD) | 800 |
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| Renewal | 3 years |
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| Skills | digital_forensics, windows_forensics, disk_forensics, file_system_analysis, data_recovery, evidence_handling, forensic_reporting, legal_testimony |
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Official certification page
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