What is the Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI) Program?

EC-Council’s C|HFI program prepares cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and skills to perform effective digital forensics investigations and bring their organization into a state of forensic readiness. This includes establishing the forensics process, lab and evidence handling procedures, as well as the investigation procedures required to validate/triage incidents and point the incident response teams in the right direction. Forensic readiness is crucial as it can differentiate between a minor incident and a major cyber-attack that brings a company to its knees.

This intense hands-on digital forensics program immerses students in over 68 forensic labs, enabling them to work on crafted evidence files and utilize the tools employed by the world’s top digital forensics professionals. Students will go beyond traditional hardware and memory forensics and learn current topics such as cloud forensics, mobile and IoT, investigating web application attacks, and malware forensics. C|HFI presents a methodological approach to computer forensics, including searching and seizing, chain-of-custody, acquisition, preservation, analysis, and reporting of digital evidence.

Students learn how to acquire and manage evidence through various operating environments, as well as the chain of custody and legal procedures required to preserve evidence and ensure it is admissible in court. This knowledge will help them prosecute cybercriminals and limit liability for target organizations.

The program provides credible professional knowledge with a globally recognized certification required for a successful digital forensics and DFIR careers, thus increasing your employability.

Everyone learns differently, so we offer on-demand, live, and several other options to customize your training based on your learning style. Build your package below.

Single On-Demand
Certification Course

Starting at
$1,699

Single Live Online
Certification Course

Starting at
$2,499

C|HFI Program Information

Course Outline

What Skills You’ll Learn

Training and Exam Details

Brochure

Course Outline

What Skills You’ll Learn

Training and Exam Details

Brochure

Key Benefits of the C|HFI Program

Build skills for investigating diverse types of digital forensic investigation

Gain in-depth knoweldge of volatile and non-volatile data acquisition and examination of Mac Operating Systems, RAM forensics, Tor forensics, etc.

Become proficient in malware forensics process and malware analysis, including the latest analysis: BlackCat (ALPHV)

Learn social media forensics and wireless network forensics.

Emphasis on electron application and web browser forensics

Gain in-depth skills in mobile forensics analysis.

Learn how to perform digital forensics investigation through Python scripting

Master a unique skill set: the C|HFI is the first certification to offer dark web and IoT forensics

Become skilled in forensic methodologies for Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, Azure and GCP)

Learn techniques such as defeating anti-forensic techniques and Windows ShellBags, including analyzing LNK files and jump lists.

Learn the latest digital forensics tools/platforms and frameworks

Lab setup simulates real-life networks and platforms

C|HFI is designed and developed by subject matter experts and digital forensics practitioners worldwide after a rigorous job task analysis (JTA) of the job roles involved in the field of digital forensics, which also increases your employability

The Credential that Sets the Global Benchmark for Job Ready Forensic Skills with Latest Advanced Strategies.

Stand Out in Your DFIR & Digital Forensics Career With C|HFI

Why Do Top DFIR & Digital Forensics Professionals Across the Globe Prefer the C|HFI Program?

From Beginner to Management to Any Role

C|HFI provides a very streamlined and step-by-step forensics methodology from a very agnostic perspective, and yet it still covers in such detail some of the key environments and platforms, such as

cloud environments, mobile devices, databases, and network devices. The program is very detailed in its coverage and explanation of the forensics tool. But at the same time, it's also very simplified, so anyone new to forensics can benefit from it. C|HFI program is very organized in its approach and presentation. Whether you're interested in the strategic side of the house, meaning executive roles, or whether you want to move to or advance in the tactical or operational side of cybersecurity, the C|HFI can be the best one for you!

Grace Pittmon

Navitus Health Solutions
IT Security Manager

A Complete Comprehensive Course

C|HFI is a certification that gives a complete overview of the process a forensic investigator must follow when investigating a cybercrime. It includes not only the right treatment of the digital evidence

in order to be accepted in the courts but also useful tools and techniques that can be applied to investigate an incident.

Virginia Aguilar

Google, EX-KPMG
Madrid

Enhances Reputation of Orgranization

The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI) certification has been instrumental in assuring both my company and our clients that my skillset is among the elite in the cybersecurity and

response profession. The C|HFI allows my company to readily identify to our DoD clients that our team is trained to perform the rigorous functions required of cyber threat response team. Our company can now better brand our capability to investigate cybersecurity incidents, perform computer/malware forensic analysis, identify active threats, and report our findings.

Brad W. Beatty

Cyber Security Analyst
Booz Allen Hamilton, USA

C|HFI FAQs

C|HFI Program

C|HFI Certification

C|HFI Training

C|HFI Program

Yes. EC-Council’s C|HFI is a comprehensive certification program with 68 complex labs. It has extensive coverage of digital forensics that offers candidates a practical and holistic approach to cyber threats. EC-Council’s ANAB-accredited and US DoD approved C|HFI certification signifies your competencies and skills, conveying to employers that you can be an asset to an organization’s security team.

To become a Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator, one must complete the 4-hour C|HFI exam by pursuing the C|HFI training program via any program delivery mode (training partner (In Person), iLearn (Self-Study), or iWeek (Live Online).

EC-Council’s C|HFI program enables you to use various delivery modes. To get started, you can either take the training via the program delivery modes, i.e., iLearn (Self-Study), iWeek (live-Online), or training partner (In-Person)

You can become a C|HFI expert by completing the C|HFI exam and earning a credential. Once certified, you can prove your competency in digital forensics, from analyzing digital evidence to prosecuting cybercriminals.

After becoming a C|HFI professional, you can become a digital forensics investigator, incident response analyst, computer forensics examiner, cybersecurity consultant, digital forensics manager, and more among the 30+ job roles listed on the C|HFI website.

The C | HFI program, designed for IT/forensics professionals, is open to individuals with a basic understanding of IT/cybersecurity, computer forensics, and incident response.

A Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI) is a professional who interprets digital evidence in the context of computer-related crimes. Their primary responsibilities include conducting in-depth digital forensics investigations and obtaining and archiving electronic evidence from various sources, including computers, networks, and digital devices. Additionally, a C|HFI is essential in processing evidence, drafting reports, and offering cybersecurity advice.

With an increasing number of cyber threats, the demand for computer forensics is increasing, creating more opportunities for candidates with C|HFI in the present and future, with an estimated growth of USD 9.9 billion in 2023. As an ANAB-accredited certification, employers globally recognize and trust EC-Council’s C|HFI when evaluating a candidate’s skills and knowledge.

The C|HFI is highly demanded by professionals who handle and prevent cybercrimes. It equips professionals with all the necessary skills to investigate security threats, aligning with crucial forensic job roles worldwide. Thus, professionals can pursue the C|HFI to enhance their skills and employability. As per Salary Survey Report 75, C|HFI has been ranked as the only digital forensics course in the U.S. with an average six-figure salary.

The C|HFI is a professional certification program for digital forensics and cybersecurity professionals. This ANAB-accredited and US DoD-approved program is a lab-intensive program that builds skills to investigate, record, and report cybercrimes to prevent future attacks. It provides a deep understanding of digital forensics and evidence analysis, pivoting around the dark web, IoT, and cloud forensics to professionals, creating leadership opportunities for the future.

Along with the C|HFI, you can pursue the Blue Team certificates, such as the C|ND, E|CIH, C|SA, and C|TIA, to acquire specialized knowledge and skills in areas like SOC, threat intelligence, digital forensics, and incident response. Network security expertise is essential to the work of any cybersecurity professional. Thus, C|ND can be a great place to start for any red team certification, C|EH for ethical hacking, and C|PENT for pen testing.

Digital forensics utilizes methodical techniques to retrieve lost data, ensure legal compliance, and attribute attacks, preventing future incidents and enhancing overall cybersecurity defenses. This ability is crucial for any organization to be prepared not only in the event of any cyber attack but also in using these investigational skills.

The professional C|HFI certification program from EC-Council is the best way to gain an in-depth understanding of digital forensics with its methodological approach to digital forensics evidence analysis and more. Candidates can effectively investigate, record, and report cybercrimes by pursuing the program.

EC-Council’s C|HFI certification is recognized worldwide. It is ANSI-accredited, approved by the US DoD, and mapped by NICE 2.0, a professional program for digital forensics. The vendor-neutral program offers 68 lab-intensive sessions with comprehensive coverage of malware forensics, dark web, and IoT forensics, ensuring a holistic learning experience that makes C|HFI a trusted choice for professionals.

To get training for C|HFI, you can visit the EC-Council’s website and enroll in the C|HFI program. EC-Council offers several training modes, whether iLearn (Self-Study), iWeek (Live Online), or training partner (In-Person), which you can choose at your convenience.

EC-Council’s C|HFI certification program is one of the top-tier certifications in cybersecurity, especially in digital forensics, and there is simply no comparison to its expertise. It is
accredited under ISO/IEC 17024 standards and US DoD 8570/8140 approved, which defines its credibility and global trust. The program covers various digital forensics analysis methodologies, the dark web, malware, and more.

28 DCWF Job roles that recognize EC-Council Certifications.

EC-Council Certification	DoD 8140 Approved Work Roles
Certified Ethical Hacker (C\|EH)	111 – All-Source Analyst 141 – Warning Analyst 511 – Cyber Defense Analyst 531 – Cyber Defense Incident Responder 541 – Vulnerability Assessment Analyst 661 – Research & Development Specialist
CERTIFIED ETHICAL HACKER PRACTICAL (C\|EH PRACTICAL)	111 – All-Source Analyst 141 – Warning Analyst 511 – Cyber Defense Analyst 531 – Cyber Defense Incident Responder 541 – Vulnerability Assessment Analyst 661 – Research & Development Specialist
CERTIFIED CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER (C\|CISO)	611 – Authorizing Official/Designating Representative 722 – Information Systems Security Manager 723 – COMSEC Manager 731 – Cyber Legal Advisor 801 – Program Manager 802 – IT Project Manager 803 – Product Support Manager 804 – IT Investment/Portfolio Manager 805 – IT Program Auditor
COMPUTER HACKING FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR (C\|HFI)	211 – Forensics Analyst 212 – Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst 221 – Cyber Crime Investigator
CERTIFIED NETWORK DEFENDER (C\|ND)	511 – Cyber Defense Analyst 521 – Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist 531 – Cyber Defense Incident Responder
EC-COUNCIL CERTIFIED INCIDENT HANDLER (E\|CIH)	531 – Cyber Defense Incident Responder