Cloud Forensics Research

Survey on cloud forensics and critical criteria for cloud forensic capability: A preliminary analysis

Keyun Ruan, Ibrahim Baggili (PhD), Prof Joe Carthy, Prof Tahar Kechadi

University College Dublin, Zayed University

 

Abstract

In this paper we present the current results and analysis of the survey “Cloud forensics and critical criteria for cloud forensic capability” carried out towards digital forensic experts and practitioners. This survey was created in order to gain a better understanding on some of the key questions of the new field – cloud forensics – before further research and development. We aim to understand concepts such as its definition, the most challenging issues, most valuable research directions, and the critical criteria for cloud forensic capability.

Keywords: Cloud Forensics, Cloud Computing, Digital Forensics, Survey, Cloud Forensic Capability

This paper will be presented by Keyun Ruan at the 6th annual conference of the ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law to be held in Richmond, Virginia, USA on May 25-27, 2011. And published in the proceeding of the conference, Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law.

Download paper on www.xensix.com

Cloud forensics: an overview

Keyun Ruan, Prof. Joe Carthy, Prof. Tahar Kechadi, Mark Crosbie*

Centre for Cybercrime Investigation, University College Dublin,

* IBM Ireland Ltd

Abstract

Cloud computing is estimated to be one of the most transformative technologies in the history of computing. Cloud organizations, including the providers and customers of cloud services, have yet to establish a well-defined forensic capability. Without this they are unable to ensure the robustness and suitability of their services to support investigations of criminal activity. In this paper, we take the first steps towards defining the new area of cloud forensics, and analyze its challenges and opportunities.

Keywords: Cloud forensics, cloud computing, digital forensics

This paper was presented by Keyun Ruan at the 7th IFIP International Conference on Digital Forensics in Orlando, Florida, USA, Jan 30, 2011. It will be published in the proceeding of the conference, Advances in Digital Forensics, Vol. 7 by Springer.

Download paper on www.xensix.com

 

Please spare some minutes to fill out the survey on cloud forensics and critical criteria for cloud forensic capability and pass it on to your peers! Many thanks in advance.

CALL FOR CHAPTER

Cybercrime and Cloud Forensics: Applications for Investigation Processes

A book edited by Keyun Ruan

Centre for Cybercrime Investigation, University College Dublin, Ireland

To be published by IGI Global

www.igi-global.com

Introduction

Cloud computing has the potential to become one of the most transformative developments in how information technology services are created, delivered, and accessed. However, cloud computing represents both opportunity and crisis for cybercrime investigation and digital forensics. With the rise of cyber attacks and various crimes in the highly complex multi-jurisdictional and multi-tenant cloud environments, there is an urgent need to extend the applications of investigation processes into the Cloud.

Objective of the Book

This book will introduce the new area of cloud forensics and collect research and case studies on current, state-of-the-art applications for investigation processes in cloud computing environments. Chapters may address cloud forensics applications from the perspectives of cloud providers, cloud customers, security architects, law enforcement agencies, research institutes, etc. This book will serve as a reference for cloud communities, digital forensics practitioners, researchers who wish to understand current issues, advancing research, and technical innovations in the field of cloud forensics.

Target Audience

Cloud technologists at all levels; Cloud incident response teams; Cloud system and security administrators and architects; Cloud security managers; Cloud computing researchers; Digital forensics practitioners; Digital forensics researchers; Law enforcement; Ethical hackers.

Recommended topics include, but are NOT limited to the following:

Cloud customers (enterprise, government, etc.)

-       Cloud adoption

-       Usage scenarios

-       Forensic demand/usage

-       Forensic capability

-       Sample crime/policy violation cases

-       Sample investigation cases/scenarios/processes

Cloud providers

-       The evolution of cloud computing

-       Future of cloud computing

-       Cloud services

-       Forensic demand/usage

-       Forensic capability

-       Sample crime/policy violation cases

-       Sample investigation cases/scenarios/processes

Law Enforcement

-       Digital forensics and law

-       Current state of art of cyber law

-       International collaboration in battling cyber crime

-       Cloud computing and law

-       Multi-jurisdiction issues

-       Multi-tenancy issues

-       Service level agreement and cloud forensics

-       Digital evidence and cloud evidence and evidence admission

-       Cyber policing

-       Sample crime cases

-       Sample investigation cases/scenarios/processes

Digital Forensics Practice and Research

-       History and development of digital forensics

-       The rise of cybercrime

-       Cloud computing a new battlefield

-       Sample crime cases

-       Digital forensic process

-       Applications of digital forensic process in cloud computing

-       Challenges when applying current digital forensic best practices to cloud computing

-       Future of cloud forensics

-       Sample investigation cases/scenarios/processes

Security Architecture and Forensic Awareness

-       Public cloud

-       Private cloud

-       Hybrid cloud

-       Infrastructure as a Service

-       Platform as a Service

-       Software as a Service

-       Forensics as a Service

-       Ethical hacking

Editorial Advisory Board

• Dr. Ibrahim Baggili, Zayed University
• Dr. John S. Bay, Vice President and Chief Scientist, Assured Information Security Inc.
• Dr. Fred Cohen, CEO, Fred Cohen & Associates
• Dr. Malcolm Shore, University of Canterbury
• Mr. Jagdish Singh, Head of Research Coordination, Center for Security Assurance and Research, International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT)
• Prof. Gene Spafford, Purdue University

Review

All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference”, “Business Science Reference”, and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This book is scheduled for publication in 2012.

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (word document) or by mail to:

School of Computer Science and Informatics

University College Dublin, Belfield

Dublin 4, Dublin, Ireland

Tel: +353 1 716 2405 or +61 2 8006 2864

Mobile: +353 (0) 87 6121726

Email: keyun.ruan@ucd.ie

Web: RuanKeyun.com