TV shows such as CSI have popularised the world of digital forensics, glamorising the field and piquing the interest of a generation of graduates and career-movers writes Kevin Waugh.

Because of this, it would be natural to assume that most businesses could now call on an extensive pool of talented experts in the forensics field capable of investigating technical security issues, such as the source of internal intellectual property (IP) leaks, or the theft of sales books by ex-employees moving to rival companies.

The reality is somewhat different. Qualifications to prepare would-be digital forensics experts over the past decade have focused on skills that are mainly applicable in careers in niche areas such as law enforcement. As a result, most graduates are ill-suited to the current and future demands of businesses.