Research Conclusion

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Cloud Forensics is a related sub discipline of Network Forensics, a sub discipline of Digital Forensics. Cloud computing is largely operated from networks across various locations as data is stored by cloud service providers (CSP) in various data centers around the world in order to ensure availability. Cloud computing has become an attractive storage solution for many corporations because utilization can reduce IT costs and mitigate the risk of nonavailability or data loss.
Despite these advantages, Grispos, Glisson and Storer (2012) highlighted several challenges that the cloud environment may pose for digital forensic investigators during the collection and analysis phrases of the investigation process. Artifacts, data used that can be used as evidence, are often hard to extract because resources can be redirected and/or disappear destroying the trial of evidence in the process. During the preparation stage of the investigation, an investigator trained in the conventional methods of digital forensics will usually obtain a comprehensive history and overview of the crime scene, and have a idea of what will be required from the organization in order to proceed with the investigation. However, in the case of network forensic investigations, there is a no comprehensive history and overview of the suspected crime scene, and there is a lack of structured environment in which data transmissions between various network points and platforms can be collected as evidence. There may also be a lack of structure in the target environment and methods of monitoring and reporting transmission information may not exist. The segregation of duties and differences in the service models that exists between cloud service providers and cus...

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...to the United States. Because a cloud could potentially reach across multiple states or even nations, a researcher must be aware of the rules of seizure, privacy and so forth in each location from which he or she will retrieve data. It is common for cyber criminals and insiders to intentionally construct their own clouds with data stored in jurisdictions with rules and laws that make data retrieval for the purpose of forensics difficult or impossible. With the growing popularity of cloud computing, these issues are likely to become more common for researchers looking to conduct observational studies and other forms of research in the future. By limiting the research to the United States and creating a virtualized environment limited to data storage centers in the United States, the researcher hopes to prevent any issues with multi-jurisdiction or multi-tenancy.

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