First certification
IDFE Certified
Shows that the holder has passed an IDFE examination and keeps the credential valid.
Earned withany one of DFFCFXMFXFRET
Institute of Digital Forensic Examiners
Certification for the people who examine digital evidence.
Free courses, independent exams that test you on real evidence, and credentials that anyone can verify. In English, Spanish and Portuguese.
CFX-SPECIMEN-01 · ITEM 03Examining
SHA-256 5be20c7a91f3d84e…a2f70d3cIntegrity verified
$MFTMFT entryFILETIME2025-11-02 09:14:37ZUSBSTORDevice serialUTF-16contracts_v2.pdf
4certifications in three levels, from foundations to expert testimony
2examiners grade every written report, independently, against a published rubric
3languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese
5yearsof validity, renewed by passing the current exam
Certifications
Four credentials, from first principles to the witness stand.
Each exam stands on its own. Take them in the order that matches your work.
DFFFoundation
Digital Forensics Foundation
The common ground of every digital investigation: how evidence is identified, acquired, preserved, analysed and reported without losing its integrity.
Blueprint · 7 domains
CFXExaminer
Computer Forensic Examiner
Examination of computers and their storage: file systems, operating system artifacts, timelines and the traces users and attackers leave behind.
Blueprint · 7 domains
MFXExaminer
Mobile Forensic Examiner
Examination of Android and iOS devices: acquisition methods and their limits, app and system artifacts, messaging, location and media.
Blueprint · 7 domains
FRETAdvanced
Forensic Report & Expert Testimony
Turning technical findings into a report that a judge, a lawyer or a jury can rely on, and defending it under questioning.
Blueprint · 7 domains
Badges
Recognition that keeps pace with your work.
Badges are awarded automatically and stay only while the certifications behind them are valid.
The full path
IDFE Master Examiner
The full IDFE path: foundations, computer and mobile examination, and expert reporting.
Earned withDFFCFXMFXFRET valid at the same time
- Add to your LinkedIn profile in one click
- Issued as an Open Badges 3.0 credential
- Linked to the public registry, so anyone can check it
How it works
Learn for free. Pay only to prove it.
Step 1. Learn for free
Every course is free: written lessons, diagrams, guided labs on public evidence and knowledge checks.
Step 2. Book your exam
A voucher includes two attempts within 12 months. Start whenever you are ready.
Step 3. Prove it on evidence
CFX and MFX include an evidence package you have never seen. FRET asks for a real report.
Step 4. Share a verifiable credential
Each certificate has a unique code, a QR code and a public page that anyone can check.
Practical by design
Answers come from the evidence, not from memory.
In Part B of CFX and MFX you download a sealed evidence package, verify its hash and answer precise questions about it: a build number, a file path, a timestamp, a serial number. Any tool is allowed, because the answer is a fact about the evidence.
- A new package for every attempt, built from realistic case scenarios.
- Vendor-neutral: courses teach with free tools, and the exam accepts any.
- Six hours, open book, at home or in your own lab.
Retired specimenNot used in exams
IDCFX-SPECIMEN-01
FilesCFX-SPECIMEN-01.E01 … .E04 · 18.4 GB
SystemWindows 10 Pro, 64-bit
SHA-2565be20c7a91f3d84e6a0b2c19f7e3d5a8406c2e91b7f0a3d65c8e14b9a2f70d3c
TaskWhen (UTC) was “contracts_v2.pdf” last opened by the user “m.lima”?
Answer2025-11-02 09:14:37
Clarity
What an IDFE credential means
It is
- Proof that you passed a practical examA published syllabus and pass mark, questions answered from real evidence and, for FRET, a report graded by two examiners.
- Verifiable by anyone, at any timeEach certificate has a unique code, a QR code and a page in the public registry.
- Easy to shareAdd it to LinkedIn in one click. Badges follow the Open Badges 3.0 standard.
- CurrentValid for five years and renewed by passing the exam in force, so it reflects today’s practice.
It is not
- A licence to act as a court expertWho can serve as an expert depends on the law of each country and on each court.
- Something you buyCourses are free and optional. Only passing the exam earns the credential.
- Training in one vendor’s toolExams accept any tool. What counts is the right answer about the evidence.
- A lifetime titleWithout renewal it expires, and the public registry shows it as expired.
Public registry
Check a credential in seconds.
Enter the code printed on the certificate, or scan its QR code. Every lookup is recorded.