Meet the Magnet Forensics’ Training Team: Nick Bria
Introducing our newest member of the Training Team, Nick Bria. Learn more about Nick’s varied and interesting background and what he’s hoping to bring to his role at Magnet Forensics.
Let’s get to know Nick!
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MF: Tell us about your life before becoming a Trainer.
NB: To be honest, if I told you what I’ve done, you won’t believe me. I’ve been a Market Trader (Self Employed), a Logistics manager, Police Officer, Part Computer Forensics Trainer, Snr Manager for a FT 50 Blue-Chip company in the UK, managing the DFIR team and CIRT Team for the last 7.5 years before I came on board at Magnet. I told you that you wouldn’t believe me and that is only part of it.
MF: What made you want to be a Trainer?
NB: I have always believed you should share and give back knowledge to help others and being a trainer is one of the ways I can do this. I was a contract trainer for 10 years with another company doing forensics software and training before becoming a contract trainer with Magnet for another 2.5 years and now I’m a full-time trainer.
MF: What type of training have you taken part in personally? What is your favorite part of the role?
NB: I hold several certifications like CISSP, GCFE and EnCE and I try and look at training that will expand my knowledge and experience. You never stop learning.
MF: What excites you the most about a new class?
NB: I am always blown away at seeing new students and getting feedback from them learning new things while hoping I could help contribute to their success in my own way.
MF: Do you ever learn anything from students?
NB: Students always end up teaching me new stuff and I always encourage students to share their tips or life experiences.
MF: Is there a particular moment that stands out the most to you in your career in the classroom?
NB: I’m embarrassed to say this, but I have story where I had a best answer of the day and would give a prize to the student. On this day, I was giving away an umbrella and the student was sitting in the second row of the class. I decided to throw them the umbrella and as I threw it, my mind said STOP...but I had just released the umbrella and instead of the student catching it, it hit him…ouch. I apologised profusely to the student who saw the funny side of what I was trying to do. Don’t worry I will not do this to you if you attend my classes!
MF: What do students get out of training in person that they can’t get on their own?
NB: The pandemic changed a lot of things and one of them is being on your own with little interaction with other students and feeling isolated. The Magnet Virtual training encourages people to interact with the lessons taught while classroom-based training gives the student more interaction as well as networking opportunities.
MF: How prepared do you feel students are to use Magnet Forensics products after taking the training course?
NB: This question depends on the type of course you are taking. Magnet training caters to all types of students: new examiners who may not do forensics on a day-to-day basis; to intermediate students that have used the Magnet tools like Magnet AXIOM; to those who have seen the interface and understand some of the forensics processes; and all the way up to advance expert level courses where we teach in depth and deep dive into digital forensics with Magnet tools. The general feedback is a more confident student with new skills and knowledge, empowering to complete better investigations, having more confidence to use the Magnet tools.
MF: What is most unique about Magnet Forensics’ approach to training?
NB: Magnet understands the forensics process and has a great depth of knowledge from the dev team to training team to the sales team providing client feedback while creating several tools just like AXIOM. Tools that will feel natural to the examiner — displaying quick filtered results to help speed up investigations while showing where it obtained the data to give the examiner the change to check and validate results.
MF: Why do you think certification is important to examiners?
NB: Certification is going to showcase knowledge, experience, and competence using the Magnet suit of tools. Magnet currently has the MCFE and MCFE-IEF and new certifications are being added frequently.
MF: How do you manage to keep up on the latest trends in digital forensics?
NB: I like to read and subscribe to several forensics forums as well as subscribing to security magazines.
MF: What trends do you see coming down the pipeline in digital forensics?
NB: I think the next big thing to come in is automation — and it will make a big splash when it hits. Managers are looking at speeding up the acquisition process, and examiners need to present results quicker. I think automation is the way forward.
Thank you, Nick! Welcome to the Training team and to Magnet Forensics overall – we look forward to seeing your future contributions.
Read our previous interviews with Director of Training Operations Jamey Tubbs, Chris Vance, Patrick Beaver, Doug Estes, Lyn Goh, Larry McClain, Hoyt Harness, Jerry Hewitt, Chris Blight, Erich Schmidt, Justin Almanza, Sean Boero, and Katie Bressington.
Click here to go to the Magnet Forensics Training and Certification Portal.