When you think of evidence that can be used in court cases, recovered data on an electronic device maybe isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, it is critical that trained technicians can draw on their expertise to gather evidence that can trace digital fingerprints. 

In the coming weeks, there will be a resource right at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for that very circumstance with students engaged directly in forensic analysis and data recovery work. Computer Information Systems-Cybersecurity major Brady Peer will be one of the first digital forensic examiners working in the Digital Forensics and Recovery Analysis Lab (DFRAL) under the guidance of experienced professionals.  

Peer installed the software for the center’s computers and helped organize workstations for inspecting and analyzing devices. From cell phones and tablets to computer components, the staff of the DFRAL will tackle cyber investigation and data recovery services for UWSP community and beyond.           

“It benefits the wider community, creating opportunities to recover valuable data that might otherwise be lost,” said Chad Johnson, lead coordinator of the DFRAL and assistant professor in the Department of Computing and New Media Technologies (CNMT). “For students it offers a rare hands-on learning experience in digital forensics, a skill set that isn’t commonly taught in depth elsewhere.” 

With funding secured from the College of Letters and Science Innovation Fund, Johnson began to put together plans for the necessary equipment— servers, computer monitors, diagnostic equipment— tools of the trade in cyber intelligence and forensics. Johnson is optimistic the lab in the UWSP Science Building will closely mirror the digital forensics process used by IT security professionals.  

Often the focus in cybersecurity is to use data skills in defense of problems. In setting up the DFRAL as a working lab experience, Johnson said, students involved in the center would gain that sense of urgency in complex matters of data security and recovery.  Peer has run simulations of forensic investigations in his required course work.    

“In solving problems working with data, it is so satisfying to find the piece of evidence you’re looking for,” Peer said. 

Peer, who also minors in criminal justice, said he became intrigued in digital forensics following his first cybersecurity course on campus. The junior from Green Bay said the experiences he can gain in the DFRAL will give him practical experience and specialized skills in data recovery and forensic analysis to give him an edge. 

He will troubleshoot for clients and handle evidence using industry-standard tools and techniques. The opportunity for Peer and others is to develop technical capabilities and hone their critical thinking skills, aligning with the growing industry needs in the cybersecurity field. The digital forensics skills are crucial for employers and not widespread at the undergraduate level.  

“It benefits CNMT by providing a dedicated space where we can offer specialized digital forensics services to industry professionals who lack that training,” said Johnson.                 

Johnson is a member of the American Association of Forensic Scientists and has been tapped for his expertise in data recovery. Most recently, Johnson spent 800 hours over the summer collaborating in analysis and evidence recovery on behalf of the University Police Department and attorneys. He was asked to perform work on personal devices, evidence recovery in a harassment case, along with a special discovery on an international drug trafficking case. 

“His extensive experience in digital forensics as an educator and practitioner is essential for the success of the DFRAL. We are looking forward to the first projects getting underway and recruiting students to work in the lab,” said CNMT chair and associate professor Tomi Heimonen. 

Johnson said the industry needs people who can step into complex forensic investigations with confidence. He envisions the DFRAL as a milestone for the department, marking the start of multiple specialized units under a Center for Cybersecurity Studies and Advanced Research at UWSP. 

“It’s an exciting time to be part of this growth,” Johnson said. 

The DFRAL will have approval to begin client work in early 2025. 

Peer aspires to work as a federal investigator in the digital space. Students like him interested in the industry may potentially get immersed in data investigations on behalf of clients across the region and state-wide.   

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