Derrick Jacobus, MA
Derrick is a Senior Security Analyst at Penn Medicine with more than 22 years of experience spanning law enforcement, cybersecurity, digital forensics, and incident response. Throughout his career, he has specialized in complex criminal investigations, digital evidence analysis, cybercrime investigations, and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) cases, working collaboratively with local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
Prior to transitioning into healthcare cybersecurity, Derrick served as a Senior Forensic Examiner at a county prosecutor’s office, where he led regional digital forensic examinations and investigations involving cyber-enabled crimes, digital evidence, and major criminal cases. From 2018 to 2023, he served on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Analysis and Response Team (CART), supporting some of the nation's most sensitive and complex digital forensic investigations. His investigative work has been recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), and multiple county chiefs’ associations for outstanding contributions to criminal investigations and digital forensic examinations.
Derrick holds a Master of Public Administration degree and maintains several industry-recognized certifications in digital forensics, incident response, and cybersecurity, including multiple certifications from the SANS Institute. He has also served in committee and leadership roles within the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS), contributing to the advancement of digital forensic education, training, and professional standards.
In addition to his professional practice, Derrick serves as a graduate-level instructor, teaching courses in Digital Investigation and Evidence Collection, Forensic Acquisition and Analysis, and Network and Cloud Forensics. He is an active educator and national presenter who has delivered training and conference presentations on crimes against children investigations, digital evidence, incident response, and emerging Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) methodologies. His teaching philosophy emphasizes bridging theory and practice, providing students with real-world investigative and cybersecurity perspectives drawn from decades of operational experience.
Outside of his professional work, Derrick remains active in the hockey community as a player, coach, and board member of a youth hockey organization in New Jersey.