- Which C)DFE This Cheat Sheet Covers
- Exam Format Facts at a Glance
- Fees, Vouchers and How Registration Works
- The 17 Preparation Modules, Condensed
- High-Yield Concepts to Memorize
- Operating System Artifact Quick Reference
- Legal, Lab and Reporting Cheat Items
- Renewal and Validity Facts
- What Is Not Publicly Confirmed
- Scheduling Your Review by Module
- Frequently Asked Questions
- C)DFE is Mile2's Certified Digital Forensics Examiner: 100 multiple-choice questions, about two hours, 70% minimum, taken online.
- Mile2 publishes 17 course modules as unweighted preparation scope, not an official weighted exam blueprint.
- The exam voucher stays valid for one year; the certification lasts three years.
- Know the process order: identification, collection, preservation, examination, analysis, documentation, quality review.
Which C)DFE This Cheat Sheet Covers
This page covers the Certified Digital Forensics Examiner credential from Mile2 Cybersecurity Institute, styled officially as C)DFE and sometimes written CDFE. The acronym is shared by other credentials with different issuers, fees and content outlines, so none of the facts below should be mixed with figures you may have seen elsewhere. If a number is not on this page, treat it as unconfirmed rather than assumed.
For background on the name and the credential's positioning, see What Is C)DFE Certification? and What Does C)DFE Stand For?. This cheat sheet assumes you already know the basics and want a compressed review.
Exam Format Facts at a Glance
| Item | Confirmed Fact |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | Mile2 Cybersecurity Institute |
| Question count | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time allowed | About 2 hours, with no pause |
| Minimum passing score | 70% |
| Delivery | Online, through your candidate account on Mile2's learning management system |
| Technical needs | Current Chrome browser and a stable internet connection |
| Live proctor appointment | Standard Mile2 exams generally do not require one, and C)DFE is not listed among the FAQ's exceptions |
| Scored vs. unscored split | Not disclosed |
| Published pass rate | Not publicly disclosed |
Two details deserve emphasis. First, the two-hour clock cannot be paused, so a dropped connection or interruption costs you time. Second, the course labs support learning but do not establish a separately scored practical exam; the credential is delivered as the multiple-choice test described above. For a closer look at the scoring threshold, read C)DFE Passing Score 2026.
Fees, Vouchers and How Registration Works
Mile2's own Udemy course description, updated January 2026, states USD 400 for the exam. The current direct checkout price for U.S. buyers was not exposed during research, so confirm it at purchase. Mile2 does not publish a member versus non-member price split, and reseller package prices should not be treated as the official figure.
- Exam Combo: Mile2's current FAQ says it includes the guide, a practice simulator and two attempts.
- Voucher validity: one year from purchase.
- Training optional: Mile2 allows exam purchase without taking the course.
- Suggested background: one year of computer experience, plus the C)SP course and the Foundational Course Pack. These are suggestions, not gates.
- No mandatory degree, verified employment-hour threshold or reference letters.
For a fuller cost discussion see C)DFE Certification Cost 2026, and for eligibility details see C)DFE Requirements 2026.
The 17 Preparation Modules, Condensed
Mile2's current six-page course outline lists 17 modules. These are unweighted preparation categories. Mile2 has not published numerical weights, a numbered exam version for 2026, or the highest-weighted area, so every module deserves attention. The list below mirrors the module names and key subtopics.
Modules 1-3: Incidents, Theory, Prerequisites and Standards
- Computer Forensics Incidents: origins of digital forensic science, the legal system, types of cybercrime incidents, internal and external threats.
- Investigative Theory: investigative concepts, behavioral evidence analysis (BEA) and equivocal forensic analysis (EFA).
- Prerequisites and Standards: investigative prerequisites, scene management, industry standards.
Modules 4-6: Process, Evidence Protocols, Acquisition Tools
- Investigative Process: foundations, identification and scope, collection and preservation, examination, analysis and interpretation, documentation and interim reporting, quality control and review.
- Examination/Evidence Protocols: science applied to forensics, digital evidence categories, evidence admissibility.
- Acquisition and Analysis Tools: acquisition procedures, the computer forensics field triage process model (CFFTPM), evidence authentication, forensic tools, AI and forensics.
Modules 7-8: Storage and Live Acquisition
- Disks and Storages: disk, OS and filesystems; spinning disk forensics; SSD forensics (with an IoT mention); cloud storage; handling damaged drives.
- Live Acquisitions: live acquisition concepts plus Windows, macOS, Linux/UNIX and cloud/virtualization acquisition.
Modules 9-13: Operating Systems, Artifacts and Searching
- Windows Forensics: Event Viewer overview, EVTX and EVT logs, log analysis to identify breaches and attacks.
- Linux Forensics: file system structure, basic identifiers, common log files.
- MAC Forensics: file system structure, default apps, other artifacts.
- Specialized Artifact Recovery: Windows components of investigative interest, files containing historical information, web forensics, memory forensics.
- Advanced Search Strings and File Signatures: search strings, regular expressions, file signatures (formats, headers and hex analysis).
Modules 14-17: Mobile, eDiscovery, Lab, Presentation
- Mobile Forensics: forensic process, tools, IoT and wearables, legal considerations.
- eDiscovery: the discipline itself, laws and regulations, the eDiscovery process.
- Laboratory Protocols: workstation preparation, standard operating procedures, quality assurance, quality control, peer review, annual review, deviations, lab intake.
- Evidence Presentation and Reporting: best evidence rule, hearsay, authenticity and alteration, report sections and content.
For a deeper walkthrough of each area, see C)DFE Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 17 Content Areas.
High-Yield Concepts to Memorize
The investigative process sequence
Module 4 is the backbone of the credential. Memorize the order and what each stage produces:
- Identification and scope: decide what is in play and what the investigation covers.
- Collection and preservation: acquire evidence without altering it, and protect its integrity.
- Examination: extract and organize relevant data.
- Analysis and interpretation: draw meaning from what was examined.
- Documentation and interim reporting: record actions and findings as you go.
- Quality control and review: verify the work before it leaves the lab.
Scenario questions often hinge on identifying which stage a described action belongs to, or which step was skipped.
Triage, authentication and tools
- Know what the CFFTPM (computer forensics field triage process model) is for: prioritizing evidence handling in the field.
- Understand evidence authentication as proving that what you present matches what you collected.
- Expect conceptual questions on forensic tools and on AI's role in forensics. Mile2's outline references commercial tools as training context; do not assume particular current tool capabilities.
Search strings, regex and file signatures
Module 13 is easy to underestimate. Be comfortable reading basic regular expressions, understanding why search strings matter in large data sets, and recognizing that file signatures (headers and hex values) identify a file's true type regardless of its extension. A renamed file with a mismatched extension is a classic signature-analysis scenario.
Key Takeaway
Because Mile2 publishes no module weights, avoid betting on a "favorite" domain. Spread review across all 17 modules, then spend extra time wherever practice questions expose gaps.
Operating System Artifact Quick Reference
| Platform | Outline Topics to Know |
|---|---|
| Windows | Event Viewer, EVTX and legacy EVT log formats, analyzing logs to identify breaches and attacks, plus Windows components of investigative interest |
| Linux | File system structure, basic identifiers, common log files |
| macOS | File system structure, default apps, other artifacts |
| Live acquisition | Separate acquisition approaches for Windows, macOS, Linux/UNIX and cloud/virtualization |
| Storage | Spinning disks, SSDs, cloud storage, damaged drives |
| Mobile | Forensic process, tools, IoT and wearables, legal considerations |
A useful habit: for each platform, ask "where does it keep logs, how does it identify users, and what historical files persist?" The outline's wording for Linux and macOS follows exactly those themes. Also review the difference between live acquisition and dead-box imaging, including what volatile data you risk losing if a system is powered down; memory forensics in Module 12 reinforces that point.
Legal, Lab and Reporting Cheat Items
Many candidates focus on tools and neglect the final modules. Do not make that mistake, since evidence that is mishandled or poorly presented is evidence that fails.
Admissibility and Presentation
- Best evidence rule: understand why originals or reliable duplicates matter.
- Hearsay: know how it affects what can be presented and why records may require foundation.
- Authenticity and alteration: be able to explain how you show data was not changed.
- Report sections and content: know what a professional forensic report contains and how it should be organized.
Laboratory Operations
- Workstation preparation and lab standard operating procedures.
- Quality assurance versus quality control; peer review and annual review.
- Handling deviations from procedure and the lab intake process.
eDiscovery (Module 15) rounds out the legal picture: know its laws and regulations at a conceptual level and the stages of the eDiscovery process.
Renewal and Validity Facts
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Certification validity | 3 years |
| Voucher validity | 1 year |
| Current renewal route | 60 documented CEUs over the cycle, ethics/policies acknowledgment and fee, or a qualifying examination-based route |
| Published renewal fee | USD 200 for the U.S. region, potentially USD 100 for eligible developing regions |
| Optional five-day course | Earns 40 CEUs |
The course outline PDF words renewal differently: it lists passing the current exam and submitting 20 CEUs per year. The separate current renewal-policy summary describes the 60-CEU cycle route. Treat these as differently worded sources and confirm current policy with Mile2 before planning. Note also that 40 course CEUs alone should not be assumed to renew the credential.
What Is Not Publicly Confirmed
A trustworthy cheat sheet names its gaps. As of the reviewed public sources, the following remain unverified:
- Numerical domain weights and the highest-weighted area.
- How many of the 100 questions are scored versus unscored.
- A numbered 2026 exam revision. The linked outline PDF carries December 2025 metadata, but no numbered revision is asserted.
- A candidate pass rate.
- Open-book, calculator and adaptive-testing policies.
- The current direct U.S. checkout price, beyond the USD 400 figure in Mile2's January 2026 Udemy description.
Anyone quoting precise weights or pass rates for this exam is either guessing or describing a different credential. For what limited information exists on outcomes, read C)DFE Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows, and for an honest difficulty assessment see How Hard Is the C)DFE Exam?
Scheduling Your Review by Module
Because the modules are unweighted, sequence your review by dependency: concepts first, then platform artifacts, then legal and lab material that ties it together.
Foundations: Modules 1-5
- Cybercrime types, BEA and EFA, scene management and the six-stage process sequence.
- Evidence categories and admissibility basics.
Acquisition and Storage: Modules 6-8
- CFFTPM, authentication, spinning disk versus SSD behavior, damaged drives.
- Live acquisition differences across Windows, macOS, Linux/UNIX and cloud.
Artifacts: Modules 9-13
- Windows EVTX and EVT logs, Linux and macOS artifact locations.
- Web and memory forensics, regex practice and file signature hex values.
Specialty and Courtroom: Modules 14-17
- Mobile, IoT and wearables; eDiscovery stages.
- Lab quality review terms, best evidence, hearsay and report structure, then full-length timed practice.
For a longer-form plan, use the C)DFE Study Guide 2026, and when you are ready to test recall under time pressure, take timed sets on the C)DFE practice test site. Practicing a full 100-question run in two hours helps you judge your pacing, since you cannot pause once the exam begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mile2's current outline states 100 multiple-choice questions in about two hours, with a minimum 70% passing score. The split between scored and unscored questions is not disclosed.
No. Mile2 allows exam purchase without training. The five-day course is optional, earns 40 CEUs and covers the same 17 modules, but the course itself is not an exam prerequisite.
Not as a separately scored component that Mile2 has documented. The 17 course labs support learning, but the published exam description is a multiple-choice test delivered online through your Mile2 account.
It is valid for three years. Current renewal policy describes 60 documented CEUs over the cycle, an ethics/policies acknowledgment and a fee, or an examination-based route, while the course outline PDF words it differently. Confirm the current route with Mile2.
See Is the C)DFE Certification Worth It?, C)DFE Salary Guide 2026 and C)DFE Jobs for career-focused discussion.