Recovering and Investigating Data Stored on Cloud Platforms
Cloud Forensics Team Lead – Timothy E. Allen | Former Special Agent (U.S. Secret Service & DOJ-OIG)
Corporate Investigation Consulting specializes in conducting forensic investigations and collecting digital evidence from cloud environments, including AWS, Google Drive, and Microsoft One, among others. We use specialized tools and cloud forensics techniques to recover and analyze evidence from virtual machines, storage, and cloud-based resources.
We assist organizations in identifying data security incidents, understanding the root causes of breaches, and gathering evidence for legal proceedings or investigations. Contact our digital forensic consultants today to speak to someone about how we can help your business.
Corporate Investigation Consulting: Your Ally in Cloud Forensics
Corporate Investigation Consulting plays a large role in navigating the complexities of cloud forensics investigations for our clients. Our specialized expertise and resources can be invaluable in uncovering digital evidence within cloud environments, ensuring a thorough and legally sound investigative process.
Expertise in Cloud Environments
Cloud computing environments present unique challenges compared to traditional digital forensics due to their distributed nature and the involvement of third-party providers. Corporate Investigation Consulting possesses the specialized knowledge required to understand these intricacies.
Our consultants are adept at navigating the three major cloud providers–AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud–specializing in cloud environment identification, logging mechanisms, data storage architectures, and security protocols. This expertise allows us to identify relevant data sources and employ appropriate methodologies for evidence acquisition, even when data span multiple geographic locations or service providers.
We understand the legal and technical nuances associated with accessing and preserving data held by third-party cloud providers, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and service agreements.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
A critical aspect of any corporate investigation is ensuring that the evidence collected is admissible in legal proceedings. Corporate Investigation Consulting has a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape surrounding cloud data, including jurisdictional issues, data privacy laws, and relevant case law.
We adhere to proper chain-of-custody procedures for cloud evidence, aligning with Cloud Security Alliance and other best practices as appropriate to ensure its integrity and admissibility. Our consultants are experienced in preparing comprehensive reports and providing expert testimony, bolstering the legal defensibility of the investigation’s findings.
We can also help organizations navigate complex legal requests for cloud data and ensure compliance with e-discovery requirements.
Specialized Tools and Techniques
Digital and cloud forensics often require specialized tools and techniques that go beyond traditional digital forensics methodologies. Corporate Investigation Consulting invests in and maintains proficiency with cutting-edge native cloud forensics tools designed for data extraction, analysis, and preservation in cloud environments.
These tools can help overcome challenges that affect cloud resources extraction, such as fragmented data, ephemeral storage, and the lack of direct physical access to servers. Our forensic investigators are skilled in utilizing these tools to efficiently conduct cloud forensic analysis of relevant logs, configurations, storage buckets, and network traffic within the cloud infrastructure.
Our technical expertise significantly enhances the speed and effectiveness of the investigation.
Objective and Independent Analysis
Engaging Corporate Investigation Consulting ensures an objective and independent analysis of the incident. This impartiality is essential for maintaining the credibility of the investigation and avoiding potential biases.
Our external cloud forensic experts can provide a fresh perspective, unburdened by internal politics or pre-conceived notions. Our independent assessment can help identify the root cause of the incident, the extent of the damage, and provide unbiased recommendations for remediation and prevention.
Our objective approach strengthens the integrity of the findings and enhances the trust in the investigative process.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Timothy E. Allen
Former Senior Special Agent U.S. Secret Service
Chris J. Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Maura Kelley
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Michael S. Koslow
Former Supervisory Special Agent (DOD-OIG)
Marquis D. Pickett
Special Agent U.S. Secret Service (ret.)
What Is Cloud Forensics?
Cloud forensics, or cloud digital forensics, specifically addresses investigations into crimes predominantly occurring within cloud environments, such as data breaches and identity theft.
Implementing cloud forensics provides owners with protection and enhances evidence preservation. Without a dedicated strategy, owners may lack rights to all cloud-based data or evidence, particularly if hosted offsite or by a third-party provider.
Despite the widespread adoption of cloud services, establishing a robust cloud forensics approach is essential for businesses. Unlike conventional digital forensics, cloud investigations can be more complex due to the potential for data to reside outside local legal jurisdictions.
What Is the Difference Between Cloud Forensics and Digital Forensics?
Cybercrime investigations often rely on traditional digital forensics, where consultants extract evidence from software, mobile devices, data, and digital assets to identify hackers or analyze incidents. This evidence is typically admissible in court within the relevant jurisdiction. Because the technology owner usually possesses the evidence, obtaining permission for its use is often straightforward.
Cloud forensics introduces complexities to this process. While the investigative methodologies remain similar, determining evidence ownership and court admissibility becomes less clear. Cloud-based services can store data remotely across multiple locations or on third-party cloud servers, and the applicable rules depend on the specific services involved.
When you’re dealing with cloud-based evidence, you need to work closely with experts like those at Corporate Investigation Consulting. We understand the legal requirements of obtaining this information. We effectively gather data from cloud platforms and analyze it using reliable technology and strategic methods.
Our Cloud Forensics Services
Corporate Investigation Consulting offers a comprehensive suite of cloud forensics capabilities designed to assist organizations in navigating the complexities of investigating incidents within cloud environments. Our goal is to help you uncover digital evidence, support forensics and incident response, and ensure a legally sound investigative process.
Here are some specific types of cloud forensics solutions we offer:
- Data Collection and Preservation: Securely acquiring and taking steps to preserve evidence from volatile and non-volatile data from various cloud services, including storage buckets, databases, virtual machines, and application logs.
- Log Analysis: Comprehensive analysis of cloud service logs (e.g., access logs, audit logs, activity logs) to identify suspicious activity, timelines of events, and user behavior.
- Email and Communication Analysis: Forensic examination of cloud-based email systems and other communication platforms to uncover relevant correspondence and attachments.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) Forensics: Investigating unauthorized access attempts, privilege escalations, and suspicious user account activity within cloud systems and IAM platforms.
- Network Traffic Analysis in the Cloud: Analyzing network logs and traffic patterns within the cloud environment to identify malicious communication or data exfiltration attempts.
- Cloud Malware Analysis: Identifying and analyzing malware specifically designed to operate within cloud environments.
- Compliance and Governance Investigations: Assisting with cloud forensic investigations related to data governance, regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), and internal policy violations within the cloud.
- Expert Testimony and Reporting: Providing clear, concise, and legally sound reports of our findings and offering expert testimony in legal proceedings.
Our tailored approach ensures that we meet your specific investigative needs within the dynamic and evolving landscape of cloud computing.
Types of Cloud Services We Can Assist With
Businesses and individuals choose from multiple types of cloud services depending on their goals and needs. They may choose:
- SaaS (Software as a Service) – Including Google Drive, Dropbox, HubSpot, Microsoft OneDrive, Zoom, Slack, and Adobe Creative Cloud
- PaaS (Platform as a Service) – Including AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine, Heroku, and Microsoft Azure
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) – Including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Storage, DigitalOcean, Rackspace, and Cisco Metacloud
Additionally, we can spearhead an investigation into public clouds, private clouds, community clouds, and hybrids of any of these types of platforms.
How Can Cloud Forensics Impact User Security and Privacy?
Despite its reputation for secure data storage and data encryption, cloud computing is not immune to issues. Data breaches and cybercrimes necessitate thorough investigations by cloud forensics experts who require comprehensive access to evidence admissible in court to prosecute offenders.
Cloud infrastructures can complicate these investigations significantly. Victims may lack full ownership of data or evidence, and if hosted in a different jurisdiction, its admissibility can be challenged. Furthermore, the shared nature of public clouds means users may have limited control over potential third-party data tampering.
While cloud technology offers convenience, affordability, and utility, it’s important to recognize its impact on cloud forensics. Leveraging these services wisely involves selecting the appropriate types to safeguard your business, data, and customers.
FAQs: Decoding Cloud Forensics – Your Top Questions Answered
What Types of Incidents Necessitate a Cloud Forensics Investigation?
A variety of incidents can trigger a cloud forensics investigation, including:
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access and exfiltration of sensitive data stored in the cloud.
- Insider Threats: Malicious or negligent actions by employees or contractors with cloud access.
- Account Compromises: Unauthorized access to cloud accounts leading to data manipulation or service disruption.
- Malware Infections: Introduction and propagation of malware within cloud environments.
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks: Disrupting the availability of cloud services.
- Intellectual Property Theft: Unauthorized copying or transfer of proprietary information stored in the cloud.
- Policy Violations: Investigating breaches of internal security policies related to cloud usage.
- Compliance Audits: Gathering evidence to demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements for cloud data.
What Types of Data Can Be Analyzed in a Cloud Forensics Investigation?
The types of data analyzed can vary widely depending on the cloud service and the nature of the incident, but often include:
- Access Logs: Records of who accessed what resources and when.
- Audit Logs: Detailed logs of system and user activities, including changes made.
- Application Logs: Logs generated by applications running in the cloud.
- Network Traffic Logs: Records of communication in and out of the cloud environment.
- Storage Data: Files, databases, and other data stored within cloud storage services.
- Virtual Machine Images: Snapshots of the operating system, virtual server configurations, and contents.
- Configuration Files: Settings and parameters of cloud services and applications.
- Metadata: Information about data, such as creation dates, modification times, and access permissions.
- Email and Communication Records: Data from cloud-based email and messaging platforms.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) Logs: Records of user authentication, authorization, and role assignments.
How Can Organizations Prepare for Potential Cloud Forensics Investigations?
Proactive preparation by security teams is essential for effective cloud forensics. Some of the steps you and your team can take include:
- Implement Comprehensive Logging: Ensure detailed and auditable logs are enabled for all relevant cloud services.
- Establish Data Retention Policies: Define clear policies for how long data is stored and how it is disposed of.
- Understand Data Ownership and Location: Know where your critical data resides and who has control over it.
- Develop Incident Response Plans: Include specific procedures for handling security incidents involving cloud resources.
- Establish Legal Agreements with Providers: Clarify data access and legal processes with cloud service providers.
- Utilize Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems: Implement SIEM to aggregate and analyze security logs from cloud environments.
- Conduct Regular Security Audits: Identify vulnerabilities and ensure security controls are effective.
- Train Staff on Cloud Security Best Practices: Educate employees on secure cloud usage.
- Maintain an Inventory of Cloud Assets: Know what cloud services are being used and how they are configured.
Corporate Investigation Consulting: The Expertise You Need for Cloud Clarity
As cloud platforms become integral to modern operations, the need for specialized forensic expertise is paramount when security incidents occur. Corporate Investigation Consulting offers the comprehensive cloud forensic services necessary to navigate these complex environments.
Don’t let the complexities of the cloud hinder your ability to respond effectively to digital security threats. Contact our digital forensic consultants today to schedule a consultation and learn how Corporate Investigation Consulting can empower your business with robust cloud forensic capabilities.