NIST Cloud Computing Forensic Science Challenges

Published

August 25, 2020

Author(s)

Martin Herman, Michaela Iorga, Ahsen Michael Salim, Robert H. Jackson, Mark R. Hurst, Ross Leo, Richard Lee, Nancy Landreville, Anand K. Mishra, Yien Wang, Rodrigo Sardinas

Abstract

This document summarizes research performed by the members of the NIST Cloud Computing Forensic Science Working Group and aggregates, categorizes, and discusses the forensics challenges faced by experts when responding to incidents that have occurred in a cloud-computing ecosystem. The challenges are presented along with the associated literature that references them. The immediate goal of the document is to begin a dialogue on forensic science concerns in cloud computing ecosystems. The long-term goal of this effort is to gain a deeper understanding of those concerns (challenges) and to identify technologies and standards that can mitigate them.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 8006

Report Number

8006

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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DOI Link

Keywords

cloud computing forensics, digital forensics, forensic science, forensics, forensics challenges.

Citation

Herman, M. , Iorga, M. , Salim, A. , Jackson, R. , Hurst, M. , Leo, R. , Lee, R. , Landreville, N. , Mishra, A. , Wang, Y. and Sardinas, R. (2020), NIST Cloud Computing Forensic Science Challenges, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8006 (Accessed July 5, 2025)