CATALOGUECOURSESExterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE)
    Cyber Security Certification
    [ cyber ]
    BODY: Exterro

    "The Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner, or ACE, is a professional-level certification that validates technical proficiency with the Forensic Toolkit suite. It equips cybersecurity professionals, e-discovery managers, and digital forensic investigators with the skills to legally acquire, analyze, and report on digital evidence. Highly sought after in law enforcement and corporate incident response, this credential demonstrates a rigorous understanding of forensic methodologies and artifact analysis."

    The Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) certification validates a practitioner's mastery of the industry-standard Forensic Toolkit (FTK) suite, including FTK, FTK Imager, Registry Viewer, and Password Recovery Toolkit (PRTK). This clinical, intelligence-grade curriculum equips digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) professionals with the procedural standards required to conduct legally defensible data acquisition, deep-dive forensic analysis, e-discovery processing, and comprehensive reporting. Designed for law enforcement, corporate security teams, and e-discovery consultants, the course emphasizes real-world application of cryptographic hashing, artifact extraction, and evidence preservation in alignment with stringent judicial and regulatory standards.

    Certifying BodyExterroAccreditation Authority
    Estimated Time20 HoursRecommended Preparation
    Skills Tested4 CompetenciesAtomic Units Mapped
    SecNav Verification
    Active Audit Node
    Simulation Ready

    [01] Hands-On Verification Sandboxes (Live Simulations)

    Deploy into hands-on sandbox simulations mapped directly to Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) objectives. Verify your readiness under real-world conditions:

    [ SYSTEM_NOTICE ] No simulations currently indexed for this credential.

    [ EDITORIAL_INDEPENDENCE_NOTICE ]

    SecNav is not a commercial partner for this course. We do not receive compensation, referral commissions, or affiliate fees from Exterro for indexing this credential. We map this path purely for its educational merit and alignment with career progression.

    PROVIDER_INTEL

    [02] Exam Curriculum & Syllabus Modules

    5 Modules Indexed

    Structured domain syllabus and core learning outcomes covered in the Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) examination blueprint:

    MODULE // 01
    ~4h

    Module 1: Introduction to FTK and Evidence Processing

    • •Case Creation and Management
    • •Evidence Acquisition with FTK Imager
    • •Cryptographic Hashing (MD5/SHA1)
    • •Data Carving and File Signatures
    MODULE // 02
    ~5h

    Module 2: Advanced Data Analysis and Filtering

    • •Index Search Operations
    • •Live Search Methodologies
    • •Regular Expressions (Regex) in Forensics
    • •Known File Elimination (KFE) via NSRL
    MODULE // 03
    ~4h

    Module 3: Windows Registry and Artifact Analysis

    • •Registry Viewer Integration
    • •User Profile and SAM Hive Analysis
    • •System and Software Hive Examination
    • •USB Device Tracking and Artifacts
    MODULE // 04
    ~3h

    Module 4: Password Recovery and Decryption

    • •Password Recovery Toolkit (PRTK) Configuration
    • •Dictionary and Brute-Force Attacks
    • •Distributed Network Processing
    • •Decrypting EFS and BitLocker Volumes
    MODULE // 05
    ~4h

    Module 5: E-Discovery Processing and Reporting

    • •Data Deduplication Techniques
    • •Email Archiving and PST Analysis
    • •Exporting Evidence Safely
    • •Generating Defensible Forensic Reports

    [03] Skills Validated by This Certification

    The Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) curriculum tests and measures critical capabilities across these essential cybersecurity & threat defense skills. Explore the dedicated skills nodes below:

    Digital Forensics

    cyber

    Windows Registry Analysis

    cyber

    E-Discovery Management

    converged

    Memory Forensics (Volatility)

    cyber

    [04] Career Pathways & Target Roles

    Securing a verified status in Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) is a high-value accelerator for major cyber defense career paths. Learn more about the primary roles mapping to this pathway:

    Digital Forensics Lead

    Verified Target Role

    Tier 3 SOC Analyst

    Verified Target Role

    Cyber Defense Incident Responder

    Verified Target Role

    Cyber Crime Investigator

    Verified Target Role

    Corporate Investigator (Investigations)

    Verified Target Role

    Threat Hunting Lead

    Verified Target Role

    Law Enforcement Liaison

    Verified Target Role

    Malware Analyst

    Verified Target Role

    Incident Response Manager

    Verified Target Role

    [05] Frequently Asked Questions about Exterro AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE)

    The ACE certification focuses extensively on the AccessData Forensic Toolkit (FTK) suite, encompassing FTK, FTK Imager, Registry Viewer, and Password Recovery Toolkit (PRTK).
    Achieving the ACE credential demonstrates to employers and courts that you possess validated, practical expertise in conducting legally defensible digital investigations, accelerating career advancement in DFIR, e-discovery, and litigation support roles.
    Yes, practical experience is critical. Candidates must be proficient in processing evidence, cracking passwords with PRTK, and analyzing Windows registry artifacts using the FTK suite to successfully navigate the practical scenarios presented in the exam.

    [06] Authoritative Sources & Certification References

    Certifying Body & Official Resources

    Official Registration URLDirect Link
    https://www.exterro.com/
    NICE Framework ReferenceIN-FOR-001
    Official Link
    DoD 8140 ReferenceForensics Analyst
    Official Link